Blogs
Blog Archive
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2013/01/14 06:31 CST | 4 comments
Video views shot by two doomed spacecraft take us flying across the Moon.
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/12/13 05:34 CST | 2 comments
The twin GRAIL spacecraft are nearly out of fuel, and are being directed to a controlled impact near the north pole on the near side of the Moon on December 17. Before the end, though, they did some cool things, including flying within 2000 meters of mountaintops, and catching video of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in flight.
Posted by Casey Dreier on 2012/12/13 12:15 CST | 3 comments
Join us for our weekly hangout and catch up on GRAIL, Curiosity, and the future Mars rover.
What's up in the Solar System in August 2012
Posted by Jason Davis on 2012/08/03 06:03 CDT
Welcome to the monthly roundup of our solar system's envoy of electronic explorers! All eyes are on Curiosity as it approaches Mars this weekend. Who will lend support at the Red Planet?
What's Up in the Solar System in June 2012
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/05/31 07:04 CDT | 2 comments
This month, Opportunity is roving again, while Curiosity approaches Mars; Cassini's finally seeing rings, and will fly by Mimas, Titan, and Tethys; GRAIL has completed its primary mission and is journeying toward the second; Dawn is climbing to the HAMO2 orbit; and a rare transit of Venus is coming up on June 5/6.
Good news, bad news: GRAIL science underway, Venus Express suffers storm damage
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/03/08 06:54 CST
Two brief mission updates. First, the good news: NASA announced yesterday that the twin GRAIL spacecraft have begun the science phase of the mission, transmitting precisely timed signals to each other in order to map the Moon's gravity field. The bad news: according to ESA, since the recent solar storm passed Venus, both of Venus Express' star trackers are suddenly unable to detect stars.
Geek craft: GRAIL twins Ebb and Flow in plastic canvas
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/01/25 12:10 CST
Geek craft: GRAIL twins Ebb and Flow in plastic canvas
Ringing in the New Year with two new arrivals to the Moon
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/12/28 05:21 CST
The twin GRAIL spacecraft are nearly at the end of their three-month cruises to the Moon. Currently being discussed is an extended mission for GRAIL that would begin after the June eclipse and last through most of December 2012.
GRAIL A and B are on their way to the Moon!
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/10 09:55 CDT
GRAIL A and B are on their way to the Moon!
GRAIL update: Next launch attempt planned for Saturday
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/08 10:57 CDT
GRAIL update: Next launch attempt planned for Saturday
From the "Just Plain Cool" department: Time-lapse photo of GRAIL's Delta 2 tower rollback
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/08 01:01 CDT
The terrific launch photographer Ben Cooper is at the Cape waiting for GRAIL's Delta 2 rocket to take off, and last night he took this very cool photo.
GRAIL launch scrubbed; try again tomorrow
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/08 08:13 CDT
GRAIL launch scrubbed; try again tomorrow
How to watch the GRAIL launch on Thursday
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/06 01:23 CDT
How to watch the GRAIL launch on Thursday
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/08/25 05:21 CDT
Nifty GRAIL animation
GRAIL twins together on their rocket
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/08/18 07:35 CDT
GRAIL twins together on their rocket
365 Days of Astronomy Podcast: Unmanned Space Exploration in 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/01/12 10:32 CST
Today the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast aired my contribution, Unmanned Space Exploration in 2011, about what to look forward to in solar system exploration this year.
Exciting Times Ahead: 2010 Will Sizzle, and 2011 Will Really Cook!
Posted by Alan Stern on 2009/05/18 03:56 CDT
Today, I'm kicking the week off with a look at the unusually intense confluence of far flung planetary exploration that's just around the corner, starting the middle of next year.
JOIN THE
PLANETARY SOCIETY
Our Curiosity Knows No Bounds!
Become a member of The Planetary Society and together we will create the future of space exploration.
Connect With Us
Facebook! Twitter! Google+ and more…
Continue the conversation with our online community!
