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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
A big find on Mars
A big rover makes a big find on Mars. Little rovers have their place in exploration, too.
NASA discovers Mars rock with ancient potential for life
A single 3.5 billion-year-old rock shows signs of all the conditions life needs to thrive.
U.S. Senate advances their FY 2025 budget proposal for NASA amid deep cuts
An analysis of the U.S. Senate's FY 2025 budget request for NASA.
Does Jupiter protect Earth from asteroids and comets?
Jupiter has often been thought to protect the inner Solar System from asteroids and comets, but new research has shown that the giant planet may actually increase the risk of an impact.
Serendipity, a super-Jupiter, and saving VIPER
This was a big week in space, from Curiosity stumbling upon sulfur crystals to an exoplanet discovery and a major advocacy effort.
Why does Jupiter spin so fast?
The gas giant is the Solar System's largest planet. Here's why it's also the fastest-spinning planet.
For parts: Lunar rover, never used
NASA has canceled VIPER, a rover designed to seek out water ice and other resources in the lunar south pole.
A planetary smash-up
A comet collided with Jupiter 30 years ago, and the resulting images still inspire awe and wonder today.
How soon will Starship fly?
One rocket could decide how soon humanity returns to the Moon — and maybe one day sets foot on Mars.
To the Moon, Mars, and beyond with the 2024 NASA Authorization
If passed, it would be the first standalone NASA authorization since 2017.
Rockets rock!
Rockets are an integral part of spaceflight, and this week they get the attention and admiration they deserve.
Challenges facing the human exploration of Mars
From the dangers of radiation to the complications of landing a crewed spacecraft, there are myriad technical challenges facing human exploration of Mars.
The House's 2025 NASA Budget Creates Problems for Science, Artemis
The House would provide a 1% increase to NASA while shifting funding toward larger programs, leaving significant budgetary holes in smaller programs.
Getting a good look at what’s out there
From taking hundreds of thousands of photos of Mars to scanning the skies for asteroids, humanity is keeping an eye on our cosmic neighborhood.
Charting the course for discovery
On June 28, 2024, The Planetary Society hosted a policy briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with the goal of educating congressional aides and advisors on the fundamental elements that drive NASA’s success in space science and the challenges facing the enterprise of scientific discovery.
China targets its first planetary defense test mission
China’s first planetary defense test is taking shape. The ambitious mission will use a single launch to observe and impact a near-Earth asteroid.
Making history, making waves, and making LEGO
The first-ever samples from the lunar farside are here on Earth, Titan’s seas are wavy, and you can make LEGO bricks from space dust to build lunar habitats.
2024 Shoemaker NEO Grant winner updates
Every two years, The Planetary Society awards a series of grants to asteroid hunters through our Shoemaker Near-Earth Object (NEO) Grant program. Here's the latest from some of our recent grant recipients.
What would it be like to stand on the surface of Titan?
If you could visit Titan, you'd be in for a very alien experience.
Now you see me…
Where and when to spot the ISS, learn what asteroids are made of, and search for life in the Cosmos.