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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Where We Are on 1 October 2019
We lost and gained spacecraft at the Moon last quarter. India’s Chandrayaan-2 left Earth orbit for the Moon on 13 August, and its Vikram lander aims at a 7 September touchdown. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter just celebrated its tenth launch anniversary. China’s smallsat Longjiang-2 crashed on 31 July, ending its successful mission.
Hayabusa2 Lander Mania: Results from MASCOT, Plans for MINERVA-II2
Japan's sample return spacecraft only has about 3 months left at asteroid Ryugu. Its next action will be to drop more stuff on the surface.
Here's How the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will Revolutionize Small-Body Science
The LSST is expected to increase the number of known small bodies by more than a factor of 10.
LightSail 2 Marks 1 Month of Solar Sailing
LightSail 2's orbital high point around the Earth has raised by 7.2 kilometers, without any conventional fuel.
Is a $2 Billion Prize for Landing on the Moon a Good Idea?
Though prize incentives can be useful for certain problems, huge cash payouts for human spaceflight are not good policy.
Mars 2020 Rover almost Assembled
Last week, technicians installed the carousel that holds the tools and drill bits that will be used to collect samples for future return to Earth.
Chandrayaan-2 Enters Lunar Orbit
The combination lander, rover, and orbiter fired its main engine to enter orbit around the Moon at 09:02 IST (03:32 UTC) on 20 August.
OSIRIS-REx Team Picks 4 Candidate Sample Sites on Asteroid Bennu
The sites each have unique characteristics that would advance the field of asteroid science.
How to See LightSail 2 in the Night Sky
If your latitude is within 42 degrees of the equator, there's a chance you may be able to spot LightSail 2's reflective solar sail.
NASA, ESA Officials Outline Latest Mars Sample Return Plans
The current strategy includes the Mars 2020 rover, a lander carrying a rover and ascent vehicle, and an Earth return orbiter.
Chandrayaan-2 Headed for Lunar Orbit
At 02:21 IST (20:51 UTC), the spacecraft fired its main engine, changing its orbit to intersect with the Moon.
Hayabusa2 Nailed its Second Touchdown on Asteroid Ryugu
JAXA's sample collection spacecraft touched down just 60 centimeters away from its aimpoint.
What the recent budget deal means for NASA
A bigger budgetary pie allows the space agency's budget to grow—for one year at least.
LightSail 2 Nears 2 Weeks of Solar Sailing
The high point of the spacecraft's orbit around the Earth on Monday was 729 kilometers, an increase of 3.2 kilometers since sail deployment.
Lunar Orbiter Longjiang-2 Smashes into Moon
Don’t worry, this was a planned end for a tiny satellite that has been a huge success.
LightSail 2 Spacecraft Successfully Demonstrates Flight by Light
In the past 4 days, the spacecraft has raised its orbital high point, or apogee, by about 2 kilometers.
LightSail 2 Successfully Deploys Solar Sail
Images from The Planetary Society's spacecraft confirm the solar sails deployed on 23 July 2019 at 11:47 PDT (18:47 UTC).
Chandrayaan-2 Launches for the Moon
Liftoff atop the country’s GSLV Mk III rocket occurred on 22 July at 14:43 IST (09:13 UTC).
LightSail 2 Sail Deployment Scheduled for Tuesday
The target ground station pass for deployment starts 23 July 2019 at roughly 11:22 PDT (18:22 UTC).
Live Coverage: LightSail 2 Sail Deployment
Visit planetary.org/live for video and audio from mission control, located at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California.