Articles

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

First steps and big leaps

Technological innovation is a big part of the fun of space exploration, and you can help make it happen.

Artist concept of the surface of TRAPPIST-1f

What might JWST reveal about TRAPPIST-1?

We spoke with the scientists leading the first observations of TRAPPIST-1 using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in order to understand what mysteries their observations will help unlock.

The Space Advocate Newsletter, June 2022

NASA's proposal to slash funding for NEO Surveyor highlights the lessons unlearned after COVID.

A little too close for comfort

From gas orbiting a supermassive black hole to asteroids orbiting near the Earth, sometimes the vastness of space can feel a bit tight.

Your cosmic community

There’s no limit to what a community of like-minded space enthusiasts, advocates and even famous luminaries can achieve when we all work together.

Earthlings off-planet

Celebrate 61 years of humans in space, and take a look at the latest news from our exploration of the cosmos.

The value of knowledge

Space exploration comes at a cost, but the investment is always worthwhile.

Not a planet? Not a problem.

Pluto, everyone’s favorite former planet, takes center stage in this week’s Downlink.

Join the exoparty

With new instruments and a growing number of discoveries, exoplanet and exomoon research is just getting started.

Space brings out the best in us

Space exploration is at its core an optimistic, peaceful and cooperative endeavor. This week we look at some reminders of that spirit of exploration.

An ice giant and its dwarf companion

Neptune and Triton come into focus as destinations worth exploring.

What light through yonder prism splits?

Discover how we use light to look for signs of life beyond Earth, and meet the newest batch of Planetary Society-funded asteroid hunters.

So much more than meets the eye

Space is even more spectacular when you can see beyond what the eye can behold.

Shoot for the moon that shoots back

Saturn’s moon Enceladus has some intriguing features: snow, ice, geysers, stripes and much more, all waiting to be further explored.

Alone in space, but not lonely

Comet Leonard heads out to roam free in interstellar space, alongside rogue planets, their moons, and maybe even life.

What sci-fi dreams are made of

From a space station cemetery to a super-resilient spacecraft, the feats of human ingenuity that make space exploration possible are the stuff of science fiction dreams.