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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Updates on Chang'e 3: Rover and lander both awake, good science data received
According to news reports from China, the Yutu rover woke up from its two-week nap at 5:09 Beijing time on January 11 (21:09 on January 10, UTC), successfully establishing communication with Earth. The lander woke up autonomously at 8:21 Beijing time / 00:21 UTC on January 12, and is also
Shaping the Search for Life
A short film on the Giant Magellan Telescope, which could revolutionize exoplanet research and shape the search for life in the Universe.
Planetary Radio: The Gemini Planet Imager
It's very nice to infer the existence of planets circling other stars. It's even better to see them. This new instrument has just become the most powerful exoplanet viewer yet created.
Book Review: This Is Mars
This is Mars is a stunning book that treats the HiRISE camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as an art photographer, exploring the variety of shapes and patterns created by wind, water, impacts, and gravity on the Martian surface.
Through a Glass, Darkly
When sent from deep space, even imperfect images can inform and amaze.
Finally, some high-quality photos from Chang'e 3!
A pile of Chang'e 3 photos has been released to the Web, and they are much, much better than what I've seen before. They include, for the first time, photos of Earth from the lander.
Polar vortices across the solar system
Earth's polar vortex has been in the American news all week. But we're not the only planet that has one; basically every world that has an atmosphere has a polar vortex. Here are lots of pretty pictures and animations of polar vortices.
International Space Station gets warranty extension to 2024
The White House and NASA have approved a 2024 lifespan extension for the International Space Station.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner maps geologic context of Chang'e 3 landing site
The LRO Diviner Lunar Radiometer has been mapping the entire Moon on a nearly continuous basis since July, 2009. The Diviner team has produced maps of the thermal behavior and and a range of derived quantities at Chang’e 3 landing site that are described in this post.
It's that time of year again: Happy LPSC deadline day, and happy haiku
Conference abstractsSummaries of summariesGeo-poetry
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Mission Nears 10-Year Milestone, Oppy Roves On, We Look Back on 2013
Opportunity wrapped a landmark year in December, sending home more evidence of ancient habitable environments at Endeavour Crater as the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission geared up to celebrate an historic milestone – the completion of 10 years of surface operations on the Red Planet.
Europa New Frontiers Mission? (Or why I like the Europa Clipper concept even more now)
Europa remains a top priority for a future mission to explore whether it could host life. While the Europa Clipper mission, remains the current front runner, a senior NASA manager has suggested that the agency may look at still lower cost options. Van Kane looks at what those options might be.
2013: The Year in Pictures, an addendum
Every year, I write a feature article for the year's final issue of The Planetary Report titled
The Last Flight of the Original Space Ranger
Remembering the Moon's first extreme close-up.
India keeps up the momentum, returning troubled GSLV to flight
India returned its troubled GSLV to flight Sunday, marking the first successful outing of the country's Cryogenic Upper Stage.
Looking back at 10 years of imaging by the Mars Exploration Rovers (Video)
As part of the Planetary Society's celebration of the Mars Exploration Rovers' ten years on Mars, Jim Bell and I got together to look back at and tell stories about some of the great images they took.
Pretty picture: Two crescents: New moon, old Venus
A baby Moon and aging Venus crescents are positioned close in the sky today, and lots of people are taking beautiful photos.
Dawn Journal: Planning for the Ceres Approach Phase
Now more than halfway through its journey from protoplanet Vesta to dwarf planet Ceres, Dawn is continuing to use its advanced ion propulsion system to reshape its orbit around the sun. Now that the ship is closer to the uncharted shores ahead than the lands it unveiled astern, we will begin looking at the plans for exploring another alien world.
Planetary Radio: NEOWISE PI Amy Mainzer
NEOWISE has reawakened to discover many more asteroids and comets. The mission leader thanks the amateur astronomers who follow up on these discoveries.
What's up in planetary missions in 2014
With the New Year upon us, what can we look forward to in 2014? For me, the main event of 2014 is that ESA's Rosetta mission finally -- finally! -- catches up to the comet it has been chasing for a decade. We will lose LADEE, gain two Mars orbiters, and launch Hayabusa2. The year begins with an amazing 24 spacecraft exploring or cruising toward various planetary destinations.