All
All
Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Here's How Scientists Mapped the Perseverance Rover's Landing Site
The maps will help plan scientific field trips for the rover as it explores an ancient river delta.
The Next 10 Years
Six scientists share the major planetary science discoveries of the past decade, and the questions that will drive the next 10 years of solar system exploration.
Star Trek: Picard Gets the Martian Landscape Right
The visual effects for the new television series Star Trek: Picard show a wonderfully realistic Mars in panoramic views that obviously rely upon NASA and ESA imagery. This article is spoiler-free except for the disclosure of an important event depicted in the opening moments of the show.
Is the Moon a Stepping Stone or a Cornerstone for Mars?
New legislation proposed in the House of Representatives would radically shift NASA's human spaceflight efforts away from the Moon and back to Mars.
A New Understanding
Abigail Fraeman examines how the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, changed our view of Mars.
What Comes Next on Mars?
Javier Gómez-Elvira anticipates the next phase of the search for life on the Red Planet.
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.
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.
InSight Update: A Couple More Tiny Quakes and Heat Probe Progress
InSight has detected a couple more small Marsquakes, and the team has lifted the housing of the heat probe off the ground, exposing the top of the mole in a surprisingly wide hole.
Curiosity Gazes Upon Noctilucent Clouds Over Gale Crater
Wispy clouds of stunning beauty fly over Curiosity every evening.
Mars Used to Have Water, But We Can't Explain How
Although we have acquired compelling evidence of flowing liquid water on early Mars, the fundamental question about how water could be stable under Martian atmospheric conditions remains unsolved.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: The Final Report
It’s a fall afternoon at Endeavour Crater. The summer winds finally lost their energy and the dust storm season is over. But there are no more signals coming from Earth. No more comm sessions with the orbiters. Nothing like it used to be.
Curiosity Update, Sols 2313-2387: Two New Drill Holes Despite Memory Problems
The Curiosity team is touring Glen Torridon, the Valley of Clay, south of Vera Rubin Ridge, happily photographing everything and zapping rocks. It’s clearly a delight for the team to be in a place they’ve been hoping to reach for 7 years.
HiRISE Team Overcomes Imaging Glitches as Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Eyes another Decade in Orbit
Blurred images and battery issues are no longer an immediate problem.
InSight Detects Some Very Small Marsquakes
InSight has finally detected its first Marsquakes, but so far, none have been large enough to produce good science. Still, it’s great news that the seismometer is producing sensible data.
InSight Update, Sol 92: The Mole Did Hit a Rock
The HP3 mole started hammering itself today, and almost immediately (after just 5 minutes) appears to have encountered a rock. No matter; they'll try again Saturday.
Practicing Mars 2020 rover operations, on Earth
Jeff Johnson files a report from ROASTT, the Rover Operations Activities for Science Team Training.
InSight update, sols 43-83: Instrument placement complete
InSight has placed its second science instrument on the ground and set it free. Now it's time to bury the heat probe in the soil.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update Special Report: NASA Declares Opportunity and MER Mission 'Complete'
At around 8 pm February 12, 2019, Pacific Standard Time (PST), the final commands were transmitted to Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover that defied all odds.
Touchdown for InSight's Heat Probe
InSight has gone two for two, placing the second of its instruments gently on the Martian ground.