Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

The Mars Exploration Family Portrait is expanding, and I need your help

The Mars Exploration Family Portrait is expanding to cover the entire solar system! But before we proceed, I'm asking for feedback.

Looking Backward: Curiosity gazes upon the setting Earth

A few days ago, Curiosity looked westward after sunset and photographed Earth setting toward the mountainous rim of Gale crater.

View from the top of the Dingo Gap Dune, Curiosity sol 533

Curiosity update, sols 521-533: Assessing Dingo Gap

While continuing to perform regular wheel health assessments, Curiosity took a sharp right turn and headed for Dingo Gap. On sol 533, they performed a

The Faces of Mars

Portraits of a planet.

Curiosity Mastcam panorama of the valley beyond Dingo Gap, sol 528

Beautiful view into the valley beyond Dingo Gap, Curiosity sol 528

A beautiful Mastcam panorama from sol 528 shows a landscape so much more like Earth than anything we've explored on the Martian surface before.

Conspiracy Theorist Sues NASA, Wastes Everybody's Time

The

Curiosity update: imaging the nonfunctioning REMS boom, closer to Dingo Gap

At long last, on sol 526, Curiosity imaged the part of the weather instrument that was damaged during landing, but no obvious damage is visible, to me anyway. On sol 527 they drove even closer to Dingo Gap, with plans to drive onto the dune in the sol 528 drive.

Artist's Concept of Mars 2020 Rover, Annotated

Mars 2020 Is No Redo

The next major mission to Mars will push the technological envelope in way that preserves its budget and fulfills the scientific goals set by the planetary community for this decade.

A new comet observing campaign for C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring)

You thought you were rid of us...but we're back! Following the spectacular and, quite frankly unprecedented, success of the Comet ISON Observing Campaign, we are launching a similar venture for another unique cometary encounter that's happening this year. In October 2014, comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will pass extremely close to Mars.

Opportunity self-portrait in shadow, sol 180

The Planetary Society Congratulates Opportunity's Team for 10 Years on Mars

The Planetary Society released an official statement today recognizing the unprecedented achievement of maintaining an operating rover on the surface of Mars for a decade.

Curiosity images "Dingo Gap," sols 519-521

Over the last few days, Curiosity made steady driving progress to the southwest. For several of those days, an intriguing feature has appeared on the horizon in her images. UPDATE: The Curiosity team has now decided to drive the rover toward the feature, which is now named

Russia's Ambitious Planetary Exploration Goals

Roscosmos has ambitious planetary exploration plans in the coming decades, including a series of solo lunar missions and joint missions to Mars with the European Space Agency.

Colorized Curiosity panorama, late afternoon of sol 514

Curiosity update, sols 488-520: Steady driving while watching the wheels

In the last month, Curiosity put 222 meters on the odometer in 12 short drives, while regularly assessing the wheels for damage. The rover performed touch-and-go analyses of rocks including Oneida and Kodak, and also took some ChemCam RMI mosaics of rocks near the base of Mount Sharp.