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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
When Good Rockets Go Bad: Orion's Launch Abort System
One of the tricky parts of launching humans into space is deciding what to do if something goes wrong. And that's where Orion's Launch Abort System comes in.
As Deadlines Loom, LightSail Bends but Doesn't Break
The Planetary Society's LightSail 1 spacecraft is close to completing a final series of tests that pave the way for a possible 2015 test flight. But as deadlines loom, a new problem has sent the team scrambling to make a quick repair.
JPL Releases a Big, Bold Website Redesign
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a major overhaul of its website. Here's a closer look.
Orion's Ride to Space is at the Launch Site. Why So Early?
On Tuesday, Orion's massive Delta IV Heavy rocket rolled from its Horizontal Integration Facility out to the launch site. Launch is still eight weeks away. Why so early?
More LightSail Day-in-the-Life Multimedia, and a Community Image Processing Challenge
We have more multimedia from LightSail's day-in-the-life test, as well as a request for some community image processing help.
In Pictures: A Busy Week at the International Space Station
This week, the International Space Station received a new crew and a welcomed a SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle. Here are a few photo highlights.
LightSail Sails through Day-in-the-Life Test
The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft passed a major system test in which its solar sails were deployed for the first time in two years.
NASA Kicks Off a Private Space Race Between Boeing and SpaceX
Boeing and SpaceX have won multi-billion dollar contracts to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.
An Updated List of NASA's Commercial Crew Partner Milestones
Ahead of NASA's CCiCap partner selection, here is an up-to-date list of each company's milestones.
Expedition 40 Crew Returns Safely to Earth
NASA astronaut Steve Swanson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev are safely back on Earth following a five-and-a-half month stay aboard the International Space Station.
LightSail Radio Update: New Answers, New Questions
Two weeks after radio anomalies scrubbed LightSail's day-in-the-life test, the team continues to close in on the source of the problem.
NASA’s Big Rocket a Step Closer to Reality
NASA's Space Launch System passed a critical milestone yesterday, but buried within the announcement was news that the first launch could slip by nearly a year.
International Postcards from Space
A collection of pretty pictures by cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, who currently serves as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station.
Radio Problems Scrub LightSail's Day-in-the-Life Test
A pesky radio problem that has occasionally stymied LightSail has returned, scrubbing the mission's day-in-the-life test.
LightSail Prepares for Its Day-in-the-Life Test
LightSail-A's radio system has been fixed, and the spacecraft is now preparing for its August 20 day-in-the-life test.
Watch a Recap of LightSail's Live LightSail Launch Announcement
Watch a recap of The Planetary Society's live LightSail Launch Announcement, which took place July 9 at the KPCC Crawford Family Forum.
Buzz Mercury's North Polar Region in This New MESSENGER Video
A new video shows what a traveler aboard Mercury's MESSENGER spacecraft would see as they zipped over the planet's north polar region.
Watch "Lunar Bridgehead," a Wonderfully Campy 1964 Film about Ranger 7
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has released a 1964 documentary on Ranger 7 in honor of the spacecraft's fiftieth anniversary.
Landsat 8 Looks at the Supermoon
Why did Landsat 8, an Earth-observing spacecraft, turn its unblinking eyes toward the July 12 supermoon?