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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Hayabusa2 makes second touchdown on asteroid Ryugu
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has touched down on Ryugu for a second time, bagging samples which hopefully contain material from the subsurface of the asteroid.
ESA to Launch Comet Interceptor Mission in 2028
With Comet Interceptor, ESA plans to meet a comet on its first trip into the inner solar system. The mission was selected yesterday after a fast-track proposal process and will be developed on a rapid (for ESA) timeline, with a launch planned for 2028.
OSIRIS-REx Sets Low-Orbit Record, Enters New Orbital B Mission Phase
Last week, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample-return mission announced that they had achieved an orbit above asteroid Bennu with an altitude of only 680 meters. Now they are surveying for landing sites and have invited the public's help.
The June Solstice 2019 Issue of The Planetary Report Is Out!
Two feature articles bring you the excitement and science of exploring two very different representatives of the solar system's smaller worlds.
Rosetta’s Ancient Comet
Rosetta is a European Space Agency mission with contributions from its member states and NASA. Operating such a complex mission with its 11 instruments and Philae lander is a success story in itself, but Rosetta’s greatest success is the science it delivered.
Treasure Hunting With Hayabusa2
IN THE EARLY hours of 22 February, light was just beginning to brighten the campus of JAXA’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) in Kanagawa, Japan. It should have been a quiet time, but the Hayabusa2 control room was packed with people. We were about to land on an asteroid.
Hayabusa2 drops second target marker, targets artificial crater for sample collection
The reflective softball-sized sphere will give the spacecraft a visual guide during a second potential sample collection.
Hayabusa2 Encounters Snag Trying to Drop Second Target Marker
The spacecraft is healthy and safe, but time is running out to collect a second sample from asteroid Ryugu.
Here's a Roundup of Recent OSIRIS-REx Postcards from Bennu
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is currently sweeping arcs between the asteroid's north and south poles.
Here’s an Update on Hayabusa2’s Crater-Creating Explosion
Hayabusa2's SCI experiment fell toward Ryugu for 40 minutes before detonating about 300 meters above the surface.
Hayabusa2 Safe and Sound after Blasting New Crater on Ryugu
Hayabusa2 successfully used its explosive-packed SCI experiment to create an artificial crater on asteroid Ryugu.
What to Expect When Hayabusa2 Blows a Hole in Asteroid Ryugu
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft will deploy its Small Carry-on Impactor experiment, SCI, on 5 April.
First Science Results from Hayabusa2 Mission
The Hayabusa2 team held a press briefing last week at LPSC to report newly published results on asteroid Ryugu.
OSIRIS-REx sees Bennu spewing stuff into space
The asteroid's rotation rate is also increasing, and scientists continue refining the plan to collect a regolith sample next year.
Hayabusa2 Scores a Bulls-eye on Touchdown, More Explodey Fun on the Horizon
The mission is also gearing up for a possible second sample collection.
Watch Hayabusa2's incredible touchdown on asteroid Ryugu
The spacecraft fired a bullet into the surface and unleashed a massive spray of debris.
Fun With a New Data Set: The OSIRIS-REx Earth Flyby
The OSIRIS-REx team recently issued their first data release to the Planetary Data System. This release doesn’t include any closeup pictures of asteroid Bennu, but it does include all the pictures they took during their September 2017 Earth flyby.
Hayabusa2 has touched down on Ryugu!
Touchdown occurred at about 22:49 UTC on 21 February, and the spacecraft is healthy.
NASA’s Lucy mission gets caught in a fight between rocket companies
SpaceX says it wants to save NASA money, but its actions could cost taxpayers more in the end.
What to expect when Hayabusa2 collects a sample from Ryugu
More than 4 years after launch and a half year surveying asteroid Ryugu, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is ready for sample collection.