Blog Archive

Curiosity artist's concept EDL 00 approach

Bill Nye on CNN Says US Risks Losing Its Space Edge

Posted by Jennifer Vaughn on 2012/07/05 10:26 CDT

Watch the Planetary Society CEO tell CNN why a reduction in NASA's planetary science funding is a mistake.

Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Digs Cape York, Roves to New Milestone

Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2012/07/04 01:57 CDT | 3 comments

Even robots deserve a break once in a while, and when the Mars Odyssey orbiter went into safe mode in June, Opportunity got the chance to hang out and leisurely take in her surroundings at the Red Planet, while the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission downshifted into lower gear.

Talking Climate With Bill Nye

Posted by Mat Kaplan on 2012/07/03 04:04 CDT | 2 comments

Talk about changing climates on this world and others brought 600 people to the Boulder Theater.

HiWishing for 3D Mars images, part II

Posted by Alfred McEwen on 2012/07/03 02:39 CDT | 1 comments

Part two of a three-part series of images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE camera.

Programming note: I'm going on a pre-Mars landing vacation

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/07/03 12:43 CDT

Just a note to let people know I'll be on vacation until July 16.

What's Up in the Solar System in July 2012

Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2012/07/02 11:50 CDT

Welcome to my monthly roundup of the activities of our intrepid robotic emissaries across the solar system! Curiosity is about to land; Opportunity has rolled through sol 3000; Odyssey is back online, having switched to a spare reaction wheel; Dawn is now in High-Altitude Mapping Orbit 2; and Cassini is taking advantage of its newly inclined orbit to get spectacular series of images of Saturn's rings.

Mars Exploration Rover artist's concept Opportunity within Endurance Crater

Three Thousand Sols

Posted by Stuart Atkinson on 2012/07/02 11:18 CDT

Earlier today, unnoticed by the vast majority of the world, Opportunity reached and then silently passed a major milestone in her great adventure on Mars. At just before 3am, UK time, Opportunity began her 3000th sol, or martian day, on Mars.