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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
SLS Engine Roars through Flight Test in Mississippi
NASA completed the sixth and next-to-last test firing of its RS-25 engine Thursday in Mississippi. Four RS-25 engines power the Space Launch System core stage.
Video: NASA Prepares for Sixth SLS Engine Test
The Planetary Society will be at NASA's Stennis Space Center this Thursday for the sixth test firing of the RS-25 engine, which powers the Space Launch System.
LightSail Nominated for SmallSat Mission of the Year
The Planetary Society’s LightSail spacecraft has been nominated for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Small Satellite Technical Committee Mission of the Year 2015 award.
Space Station Update: Launch Logistics
Orbital ATK says they are making progress returning Antares to flight, NASA buys more Soyuz seats and the ISS program manager moves on to private industry.
In Pictures: West Virginia from Space
Jason Davis shares five images of his home state, West Virginia, taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Expedition 44 Trio Flies through Solar Panel Glitch, Arrives at Station
A three-person crew is safely aboard the International Space Station following an early morning launch of a Soyuz rocket and spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Broken Bottle Strut Likely Doomed Falcon 9 Rocket, Says Elon Musk
The demise of an ISS-bound Falcon 9 rocket last month was likely caused by a broken liquid helium bottle strut, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Report Finds SLS Cost and Schedule Estimates Tight, but on Track
The GAO says NASA is generally doing a good job with cost and schedule estimates for SLS, its new heavy lift rocket. But NASA is also running short on schedule margin as it works to have SLS ready for flight by November 2018.
LightSail Workshop Recaps Lessons Learned from Test Mission
The LightSail team held a workshop in Pasadena to discuss lessons learned from the test mission and plan for the second flight in 2016.
Pushing Back the Frontier: How The Planetary Society Helped Send a Spacecraft to Pluto
It took 16 years and five spacecraft designs to get a mission to Pluto. The Planetary Society was there through it all, always striving to help NASA push back our solar system's frontier.
In Pictures: Russian Spacecraft Ends Streak of Station Supply Mishaps
Following back-to-back space station resupply failures, a Russian Progress vehicle pulled into port this morning at the International Space Station.
LightSail Project Manager Passes Torch
LightSail project manager Doug Stetson, who helped bring the program from a storage shelf to low-Earth orbit, is passing the torch.
SpaceX Rocket Breaks Apart En Route to International Space Station
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean during today's flight to the International Space Station.
Of Course I Still Love You, Falcon: New SpaceX Ship Ready to Catch Rockets
SpaceX is gearing up for its seventh paid cargo run to the International Space Station, and the third attempt to catch the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship in the ocean.
Preparing America’s Spaceport for NASA’s New Rocket
At Kennedy Space Center, NASA's ground systems program prepares for the first flight of the Space Launch System in 2018.
Thank You, LightSail Trackers
A thank-you to all the space enthusiasts who helped track LightSail during its 25-day test mission.
LightSail Test Mission Ends with Fiery Reentry
The LightSail test mission is officially over. Following a 25-day stay in low-Earth orbit, the spacecraft tumbled back into Earth’s atmosphere Sunday afternoon.
In Pictures: LightSail’s Final Days in Space
LightSail’s brief stay in orbit is almost over. Here are a few photos and videos of the spacecraft from observers around the world.
Pretty (Partial) Picture: LightSail Catches a Glimpse of Earth
With the team still trying to download an image from LightSail's second camera, Emily Lakdawalla processed a partial image from the first camera that contains a slice of Earth.
LightSail Test Mission Declared Success; First Image Complete
The Planetary Society’s LightSail test mission successfully completed its primary objective of deploying a solar sail in low-Earth orbit.