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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
OSIRIS-REx shows us space isn't entirely empty
What a cool photo of OSIRIS-REx's sample return capsule! But wait, what's that black dot near the top?
Space grade electronics: How NASA’s Juno survives near Jupiter
Take a look at how electronics of spacecraft are built to survive the harshness of space environments.
Dawn Journal: The Final Countdown
The Dawn mission has only one revolution to go before the spacecraft begins the final campaign of its long and rewarding deep-space adventure.
#LPSC2018: Fungi in the lab, hot springs frozen cold, and exploding lakes
The first astrobiology session at last week's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference featured talks on a huge variety of interesting topics, and was one of my favorite sessions at the meeting.
Hayabusa2 has detected Ryugu!
In a milestone for the mission, JAXA's Hayabusa2 sample return spacecraft has sighted its destination, asteroid Ryugu.
Ten times the solar system reminded us sample collection is hard
Some of the biggest discoveries we make in planetary science rely on the seemingly simple act of picking up and analyzing pieces of other worlds. When things go awry, scientists and engineers can sometimes squeeze amazing science out of a tough situation.
Dawn Journal: 4 Billion Miles
Permanently in residence at dwarf planet Ceres, Dawn is now preparing to add some finishing touches to its mission.
Downselect: NASA narrows future mission destination to comet 67P or Titan
The winner will be picked in 2019.
Dawn Journal: Second Extended Mission
Building on the successes of its primary mission and its first extended mission, NASA has approved the veteran explorer for a second extended mission.
Dawn Journal: 10 Years in Space
A decade after leaving its first home in the solar system, Dawn is healthy and successful at its current residence around Ceres.
Earth flyby tests OSIRIS-REx's cameras
As expected, OSIRIS-REx's Earth flyby on September 22 was a success. The mission is slowly releasing beautiful images of our home worlds taken by its many cameras following the flyby.
OSIRIS-REx Earth flyby: What to Expect
OSIRIS-REx launched on September 8, 2016. Now, a year later, it's returning to its home to get a second boost on to its destination, the asteroid Bennu. It'll test all its cameras on Earth and the Moon in the 10 days after the flyby.
A good time for solar sailing: LightSail 2 finds itself among friends
Is the quest for flight by light approaching a tipping point? Representatives from the NEA Scout, CubeSail and StarChip missions discuss how their spacecraft are advancing the art of solar sailing.
Dawn Journal: Still More Science
Orbiting the only dwarf planet inside the orbit of Neptune, Dawn is healthy and continuing to carry out its assignments at Ceres, which includes keeping an eye on cosmic rays.
Dawn Journal: Adaptations
On the other side of the solar system, invisible by virtue both of the blinding glare of the sun and by the vastness of the distance, Dawn is continuing its remarkable cosmic adventure.
Learn the rocket equation, part 2
In the second and final chapter of our series, we’ll explore what the rocket equation has to say about travel through the solar system, using the example of launching a rocket to Pluto.
Dawn Journal: On Course for Opposition
The Dawn spacecraft is about to swing into a new orbital path to observe the enigmatic
Dawn Journal: Bonus Plans
Now in its third year of orbiting a distant dwarf planet, a spacecraft from Earth is as active as ever. Like a master artist, Dawn is working hard to add fine details to its stunning portrait of Ceres.
Dawn Journal: Intricate Maneuvers
The Dawn mission is executing an ambitious bonus goal recently devised for its extended mission. Mission Manager and Chief Engineer Marc Rayman brings us his monthly update.
Citizen scientist spots changes on Rosetta's comet
Citizen scientist and self-described