Field Test: Planetary Deep Drill

Drilling through many meters of ice to Europa’s ocean or to the pristine sub-surface layers of Mars will be hard. The Planetary Deep Drill prototype has shown that it may be a practical approach. Join Mat Kaplan and Planetary Society colleagues at the field test site deep in California’s desert. Emily Lakdawalla has good news from Venus and comet 67/P. Mat returns with Bruce Betts for What’s Up and a special, light-hearted feature celebrating relativity.

Related Links:

• Planetary Deep Drill Field Test: Road Trip
• The Planetary Deep Drill Project
• Honeybee Robotics
• A Rosetta OSIRIS Picture That’s Only Hours Old
• Akatsuki's new orbit, first images, and science plans

This week's prizes are a lovely Planetary Radio t-shirt and a set of 2016 Year In Space Desk and Wall Calendars.

This week's question:

What are the four worlds in our solar system that sand dunes have been discovered on?

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at [email protected] no later than Tuesday, December 22nd at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

What was the first Japanese lunar orbiter? Careful, this is tricky.

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

What was the seventh moon discovered in our solar system? (After our Moon, the four Galilean moons, and Titan?)

Answer:

Iapetus was the seventh moon discovered (by Giovanni Cassini).