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Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Volna Failure Review Board Reports on Loss of Cosmos 1
The Volna Failure Review Board convened by the Makeev Rocket Design Bureau, manufacturers of the Volna launch vehicle, has made its final report to the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, concerning the attempted June 21 launch of our Cosmos 1 spacecraft.
Deep Impact Sets a New Course as Tempel 1 Returns to Normal
With its mission at Tempel 1 over, the Deep Impact spacecraft has altered its course in order to allow a future mission at another comet.
A couple cool raw Cassini pics -- and a break in the data
I monitor the Cassini website to keep my eye out for cool pictures, and it's usually relatively easy to figure out what the spacecraft is looking at (rings, moon, Saturn, whatever). Sometimes, though, the images can be very confusing.
A change of plans for Cassini: higher altitude for the "T7" Titan flyby
The June 15 Cassini Project Update includes a note about a difficult decision -- they are raising the altitude of an upcoming Titan flyby,
Deep Impact Data Surprises Scientists
When Deep Impact crashed into the nucleus of Tempel 1 at 23,000 miles per hour on July 4, it sent a huge, bright cloud of stuff upward and outward from the comet, providing a spectacular image that is already assured a place in the space history books, and may well be seared into the brains of all those who watched the event.
Analyzing Signals in Real Time
Candidate signals sent in by users around the world will be quickly analyzed and compared to existing signals.
Another gorgeous Deep Impact image
The team has just released a really pretty high-resolution view of Tempel 1 just 67 seconds after the impact.
Rockin' to Bill Haley and his Comets
There was a stage set up on the steps of the administration building, and the quad in front of it was filled with JPLers of all ages and descriptions. Rick Grammier and Don Yeomans introduced the band -- five guys, all members of the band since 1953 or earlier, still rockin' and rollin'.
Reflecting on Deep Impact
So yesterday, after covering the Deep Impact press conference at JPL and recording for Planetary Radio, my husband and I drove to his parents' house for an Independence Day barbeque. When I explained the nature of the Deep Impact mission my mother-in-law exclaimed,
Deep Impact live blog
Live blog from the press room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Deep Impact's Impactor meets its fate at the comet....
Notes from the morning-after press conference
Here in Von Karman auditorium at JPL, as they get ready for the press conference, they are playing
Views of Tempel 1
It looks like the European Space Agency was busy overnight -- lots of great Earth- and space- based images of the impact have been appearing on various websites.
Deep Impact Comet Crash Produces Great Big Comet Flash
The Deep Impact mission seems to have produced an impact crash beyond the expectations, but not the hopes, of the science team.
The Deep Impactor is safely on its way!
I woke this morning to find a press release in my Inbox that said:
Quotes from Deep Impact "Pre-Impact Update" press conference at JPL
The panel consists of: Andy Danztler, Solar System Division Director at NASA HQ; Rick Grammier, Deep Impact Project Manager, JPL; Jennifer Rocca, Deep Impact Systems Engineer, JPL; and Mike A'Hearn, Principal Investigator, University of Maryland.
A couple of notes on the Deep Impact images
After the press conference I asked Mike A'Hearn a couple of questions about the raw images we're seeing online.
Deep Impact encounter minus 3 days
OK, I'm in...I arrived at an unusually empty Jet Propulsion Laboratory this morning in advance of the first Deep Impact encounter press conference.
The Mystery of Cosmos 1
I know I've probably disappointed a few people by not having had anything much to say about Cosmos 1 for a while. It's because, well, we haven't had anything much to say.