Making history, making waves, and making LEGO

Waves on Titan may be strong enough to erode the coastlines of its seas. Saturn’s moon Titan is home to large seas of liquid methane and ethane. Whether those seas are calm or wavy has been the subject of some debate, but new research from MIT suggests that shorelines like the one seen in this radar image from the Cassini spacecraft are most likely shaped by waves. Further study of waves on Titan could yield insights into its climate, such as wind strength. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Italian Space Agency (ASI).

The U.S. government recently completed an asteroid impact preparedness exercise. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of State Office of Space Affairs, recently went through a hypothetical scenario in which an asteroid was found on a collision course with Earth. This was the fifth such exercise, and the first to incorporate the results of NASA’s DART mission. NASA published a summary of takeaways from the exercise.

Two large asteroids will safely pass Earth this week. Although both asteroids’ trajectories are known and neither poses any risk to our planet, one of them was only discovered a week ago, highlighting the need to continue improving our ability to detect potentially hazardous objects. That recently discovered asteroid, 2024 MK, will be observable around its closest approach on June 29 using a small telescope or binoculars.

A simulated Mars mission concluded this week with a virtual reality “Marswalk.” Four volunteers from around the world recently took part in a 45-day simulated Mars mission within the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission concluded with a virtual reality excursion onto the Martian surface.

From orbit, Titan is beautiful and intriguing. But what about from the ground? One of our latest articles explores what it might be like to stand (or fly, or swim) on Saturn’s moon Titan. From hydrocarbon seas to plastic sand dunes and chubby rain, there’s a lot about this distant world that would make for a very bizarre experience. Pictured: In this infrared image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, you can see beneath the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan to its surface features, including dark plains filled with plastic-like grains of hydrocarbon sand. Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/University of Idaho.

An asteroid smash and an asteroid bash! This week’s Planetary Radio is all about asteroids, from the success of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission to the annual Asteroid Day events that raise awareness of asteroid science and the threat of impacts. Hear from Markus Payer, Asteroid Foundation Chair, and get an update on the results of DART with Terik Daly, a planetary scientist and the Planetary Impact Laboratory manager at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.

Shoemaker NEO Grant winners are working to prevent an unwanted asteroid smash. Every two years, The Planetary Society awards a series of grants to asteroid hunters through our Shoemaker Near-Earth Object (NEO) Grant program. Catch up on the latest from some of our recent grant recipients from around the world who are working to find, track, and characterize asteroids and keep our planet safe.

Love art, design, and space? We want to hear from you! Submissions are still open in our call for designers for The Planetary Report, our quarterly member magazine. If you’ve got design, layout, and print experience we want to hear from you! Learn more about the request for proposals and apply today! Submissions are open until July 19.

June’s book club meeting is coming up. Planetary Society members have been reading “The Asteroid Hunter,” by Dante Lauretta (principal investigator on NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission) this month. On July 1, members will get the chance to hear from the author and ask questions about the book, his work, and more in our live virtual book club meeting. Not yet a member? Join now!

Announcing our July Book Club pick. From poet and author Christopher Cokinos, "Still As Bright: An Illuminating History of the Moon, from Antiquity to Tomorrow," examines the history of humanity's understanding of the Moon. It highlights how the Moon has fascinated witches, scientists, poets, engineers, and billionaires, and emphasizes the importance of looking closely and discovering more than we initially expect.

Planetary People continues, this time with your host, Ambre Trujillo! Planetary People is a live Q&A series in which we explore and celebrate a guest’s career, favorite accomplishments or projects, and the factors that have driven them to make the contributions they have. This month’s Planetary Person is Ambre Trujillo, The Planetary Society’s Digital Community Manager who runs our online member community. The live Q&A with Ambre takes place today, June 28, at 9:00 p.m. ET.