Launching and descending

NASA’s Artemis I mission is on its way to the Moon. The long-awaited launch of the Space Launch System rocket finally happened early Wednesday morning local time, taking the uncrewed Orion capsule on a 42-day journey around the Moon and back. After many delays and cost overruns, NASA’s program to return humans to the Moon is finally underway. Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls.

Canada is sending its first rover to the Moon. This week the Government of Canada announced $43 million CAD (about $32 million USD) in funding for a lunar rover that will search for water ice in the soil of the south polar region of the Moon, launching as early as 2026. The mission, undertaken in collaboration with NASA, will help prepare for future human exploration of the region.

European Space Agency leaders are stressing the need for greater autonomy. At a space industry conference in Germany this week, ESA leaders discussed the importance of ensuring European autonomy in space, for example ensuring its own launch capability and investing in broadband internet constellations.

New research suggests planets and stars may form at the same time. A team of astronomers led by Cambridge University studied 200 white dwarfs, dead cores of former Sun-like stars that sometimes contain elements left over from asteroids or other rocky bodies that fall into them. By analyzing these elements, the researchers found evidence that the asteroids had formed during the early stages of their planetary systems. This contributes to a longstanding question about when planets form relative to the formation of their star.

Some launches never end in a descent. Such is the case for the twin Voyager spacecraft that left Earth in the late 1970s and are still operational today, speeding away from our Solar System and sending back data from interstellar space. They’ll continue on their trajectory forever, barring the extremely unlikely possibility that they collide with (or are intercepted by) something. Linda Spilker, who recently took on the role of project scientist for the Voyager program, joins this week’s Planetary Radio to give an update on their journey. Pictured: An artist’s impression of Voyager 2 in interstellar space. Image credit: NASA / GSFC Conceptual Image Lab.

LightSail 2 took some stunning images while it was in space.Take a look at this video compilation that takes you along on the spacecraft's 3.5-year journey. Watch as LightSail 2 arrives in orbit, dramatically unfurls its sails, and gazes down at our beautiful planet as it sails the light.

There’s still time to choose this year's space highlights. The Planetary Society’s Best of 2022 campaign is on until the end of the month. Cast your vote today for your favorite space images, exploration milestones, missions, and more.