Blogs
Guest blogs from 2014
Riding With Cassini Through 2014
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/12/31 06:13 CST | 1 comments
Video: see some of the sights Cassini saw this year.
Field Report from Mars: Sol 3875 – December 18, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/12/30 03:40 CST | 2 comments
Opportunity is continuing its drives along the rim of Endeavour toward Marathon Valley. Larry Crumpler tells us what to expect as the rover continues its journey.
Dawn Journal: History of Ceres
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/12/29 01:25 CST | 14 comments
As Dawn looks toward the new world of Ceres, Mission Director Marc Rayman looks back on Ceres' discovery.
A Visit to India: New Space Collaborations and New Friendships with Role Models for Women in STEM
Posted by Ellen Stofan on 2014/12/24 11:03 CST
NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan discusses her recent trip to India to speak at the India-U.S. Technology Summit in Delhi and Miranda House a the University of Dehli on women in STEM careers.
Pretty pictures of the Cosmos: Infinity
Posted by Adam Block on 2014/12/23 11:44 CST
Astrophotographer Adam Block shares four stunning images capturing the expansiveness of the universe.
Like A Bad Penny: Methane on Mars
Posted by Nicholas Heavens on 2014/12/16 04:07 CST | 5 comments
With the announcement of Curiosity's detection of methane on Mars, Nicholas Heavens gives us a guide to the history of methane detection on Mars, a discussion of its scientific significance, and a few things to consider when hearing about and asking about the detection.
The Planetary Society’s Global Volunteer Network
Posted by Kate Howells on 2014/12/12 10:27 CST | 1 comments
The Planetary Society’s Global Volunteer Network has been busy these past few months!
Pretty pictures of the Cosmos: Strange and spooky
Posted by Adam Block on 2014/12/12 10:25 CST | 1 comments
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block shares his haunting images of three different types of nebulae.
New Churyumov-Gerasimenko Shapemodel!
Posted by Mattias Malmer on 2014/12/12 09:00 CST | 1 comments
Mattias Malmer shares his latest shape model of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, created using data from the Rosetta spacecraft.
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/12/11 05:48 CST
The YORP effect is a phenomenon that affects the rotation rate and pole orientation of an asteroid. YORP is an acronym that combines four scientist’s names: Yarkovsky, O’Keefe, Radzievskii, and Paddack.
Revisiting Uranus with Voyager 2
Posted by Björn Jónsson on 2014/12/10 10:44 CST | 2 comments
Amateur image processor Björn Jónsson brings us some new views of Uranus from reprocessed Voyager 2 data.
What Happens When Space Projects Go Over Budget? The Curious Case of MSL’s Overrun
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/12/08 04:44 CST | 1 comments
Jason Callahan takes a detailed look at the effects of Curiosity's cost overruns on NASA's budget.
New Views of Ancient Martian Landscapes
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/12/08 11:21 CST | 5 comments
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter just keeps delivering remarkable scenes from the Red Planet.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Roves from Wdowiak Ridge into Network of Fractures
Sols 3829 - 3858
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/12/03 12:13 CST
Last month, the Earth's longest-lived and most traveled robot on another planet drove into a network of fractures the likes of which the scientists had never seen before on Mars and wound up working there through the end of the month – and then something not completely unexpected happened.
Selecting the Next Creative Idea for Exploring the Solar System
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/12/01 07:39 CST
With the release of the official Announcement of Opportunity (AO) early in November, NASA has officially begun the competition to select its next low cost ($450M) Discovery program planetary mission. Because planetary scientists are free to propose missions to any destination in the solar system other than the sun and Earth, these competitions bring out the creativity in the planetary science program.
Dawn Journal: Looking Ahead at Ceres
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/12/01 02:51 CST | 1 comments
This month, Marc Rayman looks ahead to some upcoming activities for Dawn as it approaches the dwarf planet Ceres.
Some Recent Views of Mars from Hubble
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2014/11/26 04:50 CST
Ted Stryk showcases some of his processed versions of recent Hubble Space Telescope views of Mars.
A Rich Potpourri of Future Mission Concepts
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/11/26 05:01 CST
The past few months have brought announcements for new missions from India and China as well as a wealth of creative ideas for future missions.
The Science of “Bennu’s Journey”
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/11/25 06:17 CST
The OSIRIS-REx project released Bennu’s Journey, a movie describing one possible history of our target asteroid – Bennu. The animation is among the most highly detailed productions created by Goddard’s Conceptual Image Laboratory.
Field Report from Mars: Sol 3848 — November 20, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/11/25 11:01 CST
Larry Crumpler returns with an update on Opportunity's recent activities, and its road ahead.
Posted by Deepak Dhingra on 2014/11/21 09:17 CST
Deepak Dhingra gives an exciting update from the recent Lunar Exploration and Analysis Group (LEAG) meeting at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (JHU-APL) in Baltimore.
Want Funding? Then Be a National Priority
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/11/14 04:12 CST | 1 comments
On Monday, Jason Callahan published an article in The Space Review discussing the importance of aligning the goals of federally funded scientific communities with national priorities. This post highlights some of the main points of the article and suggests a possible role for The Planetary Society.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Images Comet, Ducks Storm, Departs Ulysses
Sols 3800 - 3829
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/11/04 10:02 CST
As winds whirled and converged to the west of Endeavour Crater, Opportunity's power dropped dramatically in October, but the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) pressed on. By month's end, the robot field geologist had completed her assignments – including capturing the first close-in shot of a comet from the surface of the Red Planet – and was roving onward through the darkness, driving the mission into the 130th month of what started out more than 10-and-a-half years ago to be a 3-month tour.
Fall Issue of The Planetary Report is Here!
Posted by Donna Stevens on 2014/11/04 08:14 CST
The fall issue of The Planetary Report has mailed and is on its way to our members’ doors. Those of you who prefer an electronic file, or a preview of the printed copy, can pick it up online.
Dawn Journal: Ion thrusting (or not)
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/11/02 02:30 CST | 8 comments
Marc Rayman gives the latest update on the Dawn mission, focusing this time on the performance of its ion propulsion system.
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/10/31 11:52 CDT
On October 17-19, 2014, the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory on the University of Arizona campus hosted the second annual Art of Planetary Science exhibition. This exhibition featured works of art inspired by the solar system, alongside works by scientists created from their scientific data.
A (Difficult) Day in the Solar System
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/10/30 10:05 CDT | 13 comments
After a bad day on the launch pad, some perspective.
When Nixon Stopped Human Exploration
Posted by John M. Logsdon on 2014/10/28 07:38 CDT | 3 comments
Society Board Member John Logsdon describes how the decisions made by Richard Nixon in late 1969 and early 1970 effectively ended human exploration beyond Earth orbit for the indefinite future.
Rosetta NAVCAM's Shades of Grey
Posted by Claudia Mignone on 2014/10/27 09:51 CDT | 1 comments
What do “light” and “dark” mean for an object like Comet 67P/C-G? Here are some details on how Rosetta's NAVCAM images are taken and displayed to make a wide range of surface features possible.
Herschel observations of Comet Siding Spring initiated by an amateur astronomer
Posted by Peter Mattisson on 2014/10/22 11:26 CDT | 4 comments
The European satellite Herschel acquired images of Comet Siding Spring before its death in 2013 — thanks to an observing proposal from an amateur astronomer!
Collaboration Between OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa-2
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/10/20 10:35 CDT | 1 comments
The University of Arizona (UA) hosted representatives of the Hayabusa-2 asteroid sample return mission to explore opportunities for collaboration with the OSIRIS-REx team.
Field Report from Mars: Sol 3808 — October 10, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/10/15 10:22 CDT | 1 comments
Opportunity will become a comet flyby mission beginning in mid-October. The comet Siding Spring will zoom past Mars at a distance of about 135,000 km on October 19.
Comet Siding Spring: Exciting times
Posted by Karl Battams on 2014/10/06 03:11 CDT | 5 comments
We're now less than two weeks away from Comet Siding Spring buzzing ridiculously close to Mars, and the excitement is building - in both good and bad ways...
A Clearer Impression of Degas Crater
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/10/06 09:31 CDT | 2 comments
MESSENGER is revealing the first planet in sharp detail.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Gets Extension, Returns Killer Panoramas, and Roves onto Mystery Rocks
Sols 3770 - 3799
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/10/04 10:15 CDT | 1 comments
While the winds of Martian spring blew through Meridiani Planum in September, Opportunity reformatted its Flash memory then continued exploring Wdowiak Ridge on the western rim of Endeavour Crater. Even though the Flash-related issues soon returned, the robot field geologist hardly seemed to notice as it sent home two spectacular panoramas, presented the scientists with a rocky Martian mystery, and delivered yet another September to remember for the mission. And that's not all.
How Richard Nixon Changed NASA
John Logsdon's new book shows how the post-Apollo era was defined by Richard Nixon
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/10/04 10:03 CDT | 7 comments
The end of the Moon race raised the question: what, if anything, was next for NASA? The decisions made by President Nixon in the aftermath of Apollo still impact the space program today.
Preparing for A-MAVEN Science!
Posted by Karl Battams on 2014/10/03 10:56 CDT | 3 comments
How can we use MAVEN to learn about Comet Siding Spring, passing very close by Mars this month?
Mars Orbiter Mission activates all science instruments as NASA, ISRO form joint Mars working group
Posted by Srinivas Laxman on 2014/10/01 11:19 CDT | 1 comments
Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) began its science activities fully on Wednesday with all five science instruments being activated. And on Tuesday, an ISRO-NASA Mars working group was formed which will "seek to identify and implement scientific and technological goals that NASA and ISRO have in common regarding Mars exploration."
Dawn Journal: 7 Years of Interplanetary Travel
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/09/27 07:43 CDT | 6 comments
Marc Rayman gives us an update on the Dawn mission, heading to Ceres, on the 7th anniversary of its launch.
Field Report from Mars: Sol 3790 — September 22, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/09/26 11:54 CDT | 4 comments
After a stand-down of activities to reformat its flash memory, Opportunity has re-commenced the long climb up this high and steep segment of the Endeavour crater rim.
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/09/24 11:01 CDT | 1 comments
The OSIRIS-REx Design Reference Asteroid (DRA) document is now available to the public. The DRA is a compilation of all that is known about the OSIRIS-REx mission target, asteroid (101955) Bennu.
Posted by Stuart Atkinson on 2014/09/23 05:58 CDT | 4 comments
Stuart Atkinson takes us on a stunning guided visual tour of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
A Glimpse Into NASA's New History Archives
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/09/23 02:29 CDT | 1 comments
NASA's immense reference collection got a makeover at its Washington, D.C. location recently. Jason Callahan gives you a glimpse behind the scenes as guests made their way into the new rooms while enjoying good conversation and, of course, Moon Pies.
45th Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium Report
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2014/09/23 12:15 CDT | 1 comments
The 45th Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium, usually focused on terrestrial studies, shifted this year to planetary science. Ted Stryk gives us an overview.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/09/22 09:41 CDT
Some of Mars' most important secrets are hiding beneath the surface.
Mars Orbiter Mission test firing successful; all ready for orbit insertion
Posted by Srinivas Laxman on 2014/09/22 09:00 CDT | 4 comments
There was celebration in the Mars mission control room in Bangalore on Monday following the success of the crucial four-second test firing of the Mars Orbiter Mission’s (MOM) 440-Newton liquid apogee motor. MOM will now go ahead with the nominal plan for the Mars orbit insertion on September 24 at 07:30 IST (02:00 UT / September 23 19:00 PDT).
Posted by Nagin Cox on 2014/09/18 10:19 CDT | 5 comments
Nagin Cox, a systems engineer and manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory currently working on the mission operations team for Curiosity, tells us about a trip she took to Pakistan as an ambassador for science and technology.
Comet Siding Spring Mars encounter: One Mars Express plan becomes two
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/09/17 10:44 CDT | 2 comments
The Mars Express Flight Control Team at ESOC have been actively preparing for the flyby of comet C/2013 A1/Siding Spring on October 19. Initial estimates gave the possibility that Mars Express might be hit by 2 or 3 high-speed particles. Happily, additional observations by ground and space telescopes have shown the risk to be much lower – and perhaps even as low as zero. In today's blog post, the team explain how this (happy!) real-life, real-time development is affecting their preparations for fly-by.
Recovery. Peak. Collapse. Planetary Science from 1990 - 2014
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/09/11 12:25 CDT | 4 comments
The history of planetary exploration repeats itself starting with a resurgent program in the 90s and 2000s that launched a new fleet of planetary spacecraft. Like our first story, this great success rewarded by deep budget cuts.
So Close and Yet So Far: Why isn't Siding Spring going to sandblast Mars?
Posted by Tony Farnham on 2014/09/09 09:02 CDT | 5 comments
Comet Siding Spring is going to make a very close approach to Mars in October. Any comet dust that reaches Mars has the potential to inflict significant damage on the spacecraft orbiting the planet. As it turns out, however, Mars and its orbiters are likely to see very few, if any, impacts. Why?
Growth. Peak. Collapse. Planetary exploration from 1959 - 1989
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/09/08 11:24 CDT | 4 comments
The first three decades of planetary exploration tell a story that sounds all-too-familiar to modern day space advocates. Growth, peak, and then collapse of hard-earned capability. This is the story of planetary science for the first half of its existence.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Suffers Unwanted Computer Reboots, Hunkers Down for Reformat
Sols 3740 - 3769
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/09/03 12:19 CDT
After setting the new off-Earth rover distance record in July, Opportunity roved on in August, driving south along the eastern edge of Endeavour Crater's western rim to Wdowiak Ridge on its journey to the next big destination, Marathon Valley.
Dawn Journal: From HAMO to LAMO and Beyond
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/09/02 06:40 CDT | 10 comments
Marc Rayman updates us on the Dawn mission, its plans from high to low altitude mapping orbits at Ceres, and what the intrepid spacecraft will pursue next.
The Pivotal Discovery You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Posted by Karl Battams on 2014/08/29 02:09 CDT | 5 comments
Karl Battams highlights the historic discovery, by an Air Force satellite, of a sungrazing comet.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise and Fall) of Planetary Exploration Funding
NASA has explored the planets since the 1960s, but funding has rarely been consistent
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/08/29 02:06 CDT | 5 comments
NASA has explored the solar system since the 1960s, but it has rarely been the top priority for the space agency. Jason Callahan breaks down how planetary science has been funded over the years within NASA's larger budget.
The Birth of the Modern Universe
Review of Alan Hirshfeld's "Starlight Detectives: How Astronomers, Inventors, and Eccentrics Discovered the Modern Universe"
Posted by Amir Alexander on 2014/08/29 12:29 CDT | 1 comments
Amir Alexander reviews Alan Hirshfeld's newest book, "Starlight Detectives: How Astronomers, Inventors, and Eccentrics Discovered the Modern Universe."
Canadian Mars Analogue Mission: Field Report, Week 2
Posted by Tanya Harrison on 2014/08/28 11:17 CDT
Tanya Harrison wraps up the final week of Mars sample return analogue mission operations at the Canadian Space Agency.
The Competition for Dollars
What is NASA's main competition for funding within the federal budget? It's not what you think.
Posted by Jason Callahan on 2014/08/27 01:20 CDT | 12 comments
We all know NASA needs more money to achieve its goals. But competition for money is intense within the U.S. federal government, and two trends have made it harder for NASA to get what it needs.
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/08/26 06:55 CDT | 6 comments
Van Kane explains three factors that make exploring Europa hard—factors that can make a mission concept that seems like less actually be more.
Comet Flyby Missions for Mars Rovers
Posted by Mark Lemmon on 2014/08/21 10:19 CDT | 2 comments
On October 19, the Mars rovers — like their orbiting cousins — will become comet flyby missions. Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will pass within 140,000 km of Mars.
Stardust@home Finds Some Stardust
Posted by Amir Alexander on 2014/08/21 07:48 CDT
What’s new at Stardust@home, the groundbreaking program that asked volunteers to help find interstellar dust particles collected by the spacecraft Stardust.
Canadian Mars Analogue Mission: Field Report, Week 1
Posted by Tanya Harrison on 2014/08/20 11:02 CDT | 1 comments
Tanya Harrison reports on Canada's efforts to simulate a Mars sample return mission here on Earth.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/08/18 10:34 CDT | 7 comments
The latest snaphots from the "Mars Webcam" include something special.
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3753 – August 15, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/08/18 09:46 CDT | 2 comments
Opportunity just completed its first drives upslope on its long journey toward the crest of the highest rim segment of Endeavour crater, “Cape Tribulation.” Larry Crumpler gives us an update on what to expect next from the little rover that could.
Posted by David Crisp on 2014/08/15 01:27 CDT
Dr. David Crisp explains how NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) works, and what its first light spectra tells his team about the spacecraft’s performance.
Three Major Volcanic Eruptions Observed On Io in the Span of Two Weeks
Posted by Jason Perry on 2014/08/12 09:40 CDT | 1 comments
Jason Perry brings us a report on recent ground-based observations that shed new light on the most powerful of Io’s volcanic eruptions.
Mars 2020 Instruments – A Plan for Sample Return
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/08/08 04:45 CDT | 14 comments
Van Kane gives us a tour of the instruments selected for the Mars 2020 rover.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Sets Historic Distance Record and Roves On
Sols 3710-3739
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/08/08 12:13 CDT
It's official: Opportunity has traveled farther and lived longer than any other vehicle on another planet, driving to a place in history with an out-of-this-world distinction no one even imagined when the robot field geologist left Earth 11 years ago.
Comet Siding Spring: Risk Assessment
Posted by Karl Battams on 2014/08/07 01:29 CDT | 6 comments
On October 19, 2014, Comet Siding Spring is going to have an extremely close encounter with the planet Mars. The bottom line: it seems most likely that our Martian spacecraft will be absolutely fine.
Posted by Stuart Atkinson on 2014/08/06 05:46 CDT | 4 comments
Stuart Atkinson muses on the difference between the Europe of today and the Europe of a century ago in the context of Rosetta's momentous arrival at comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Posted by Daniel Fischer on 2014/08/06 01:27 CDT | 2 comments
Beaming scientists all around, spectacular images on large TV screens, and the best - or at least most exciting - yet to come: such was the extraordinary scene at the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, today as the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft reached its cometary destination.
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3737 – July 30, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/08/04 04:44 CDT | 2 comments
Larry Crumpler updates us on the Opportunity rover, which now holds the distance record for a rover on another planet and is about to climb up its highest crater rim segment yet.
The Planetary Report: Summer Solstice Edition
Posted by Donna Stevens on 2014/08/04 09:18 CDT
Summer’s edition of The Planetary Report is on its way to your mailbox!
Dawn Journal: Not-So-Quiet Cruise
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/08/01 05:35 CDT | 13 comments
Dawn's Mission Director updates us on the status of the mission, and tells us what Dawn and Star Wars have in common.
8th Mars Report: Martian habitability
Posted by Valerie Fox on 2014/07/30 01:22 CDT | 9 comments
Valerie Fox reports from the 8th International Conference on Mars on the habitability of the Red Planet.
8th Mars Report: Was Ancient Mars Warm and Wet or Cold and Icy?
Posted by Abigail Fraeman on 2014/07/29 02:08 CDT | 3 comments
One of the hot topics of the 8th International Conference on Mars was the nature of Mars' ancient past. Abigail Fraeman reports on our updated view of whether Mars was ever warm and wet.
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/07/28 02:04 CDT
The asteroid community recently gathered in Helsinki, Finland for the 12th Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors Conference. As this meeting showed, one of the hottest topics in asteroid science is the study of asteroid families.
Pretty pictures of the Cosmos: Perception
Posted by Adam Block on 2014/07/25 12:04 CDT | 2 comments
Astrophotographer Adam Block shares two recent images of star clusters, along with a pair of depth perception-defying galaxies.
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2014/07/24 10:19 CDT | 4 comments
Venera 9 and 10 landed on Venus in 1975 and sent back the first images of the planet's surface. Now, Ted Stryk brings new life to these images to show us what it would be like to stand on the Venusian surface.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/07/21 08:03 CDT | 3 comments
A single day's observations take us from orbital overviews all the way down to ground truth.
Mars and Europa: Contrasts in Mission Planning
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/07/19 02:08 CDT | 30 comments
Several announcements for proposed missions to Mars and on the planning for a NASA return to Europa that highlight the contrasts in planning missions for these two high priority destinations.
Posted by Stuart Atkinson on 2014/07/18 12:02 CDT | 16 comments
A European space enthusiast, children's author, and volunteer astronomy outreach worker asks for more images from Rosetta.
How Arecibo Observatory Transmits to the ISEE-3 Spacecraft
Posted by Alessondra Springmann on 2014/07/16 03:51 CDT | 1 comments
Talking to spacecraft is a normal occurrence at Arecibo Observatory, but sometimes the nuts and bolts are a little unconventional.
Posted by Mark Robinson on 2014/07/11 12:01 CDT | 1 comments
High resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera detail the 1973 path of the Soviet rover Lunokhod 2.
Posted by Peter Rosén on 2014/07/08 02:15 CDT | 3 comments
In 1979, the Voyager 1 probe took a stunning series of images on its final approach to Jupiter. Thirty-five years later, almost to the day, a group of seven Swedish amateur astronomers set out to replicate this odyssey, but with images taken with their own ground-based telescopes.
The Habitable Zone of Inhabited Planets
Posted by Jaime Green on 2014/07/07 03:14 CDT | 10 comments
A team of Colombian researchers are arguing for a new refinement to the idea of the habitable zone that takes the presence of life itself into account.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Nears End of Murray Ridge, Pillinger Point Christened
Sols 3680-3709
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/07/03 03:44 CDT | 6 comments
Opportunity got off to a bumpy start in June, but the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission pressed on, continuing the exploration of Murray Ridge at the western rim of Endeavour Crater.
Pretty pictures of the Cosmos: Interacting galaxies
Posted by Adam Block on 2014/07/02 10:27 CDT
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block showcases some of his stunning images of what happens when galaxies get a little too close to each other.
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/07/01 11:34 CDT | 9 comments
Dawn's chief engineer and mission director Marc Rayman gives an overview of the plan for the penultimate orbital phase at Ceres, the “high altitude mapping orbit” (HAMO).
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3705 – June 27, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/06/30 07:30 CDT
Opportunity has left the winter haven and is still driving south along the rim of Endeavour crater, currently exploring an outcrop a few meters from crater rim.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/06/23 09:36 CDT | 3 comments
Seeing Saturn before and after Cassini.
One Number, Two Budgets
The Senate and House have both agreed to increase NASA's budget to $17.9B, but they have very different ways of spending that money
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/06/17 01:03 CDT | 2 comments
The Senate and House have both agreed to increase NASA's budget to $17.9 billion, but they have very different ways of spending that money. The House bill would add additional funding to almost every category of the Planetary Science budget and would greatly strengthen NASA’s program of planetary exploration. The Senate bill would add substantial funds to the Mars program but pay for this by cuts to other portions of the planetary budget.
The OSIRIS-REx Design Reference Mission
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/06/12 06:18 CDT
This week the OSIRIS-REx team gathered at the Lockheed Martin facility in Denver to perform a “Design Reference Mission (DRM)” walkthrough. The DRM is basically the battle plan for OSIRIS-REx for accomplishing our goal of returning pristine samples from asteroid Bennu.
A Checkup on Future Mars Missions
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/06/09 04:59 CDT | 3 comments
NASA’s Mars Exploration Analysis Group (MEPAG) recently reviewed plans by Europe, the Japanese, and NASA for future Mars exploration. The prognosis is for another exciting decade of Mars exploration.
Posted by Adam Block on 2014/06/06 03:01 CDT
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block shares some of his recent work.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Hunts Ancient Clays along Murray Ridge
Sols 3650-3680
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/06/05 10:11 CDT
At the western rim of Endeavour Crater, Opportunity spent the month of May exploring a new clayground along Murray Ridge and the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission trundled into the 125th month of what was originally to be a short, 3-month tour.
The construction of OSIRIS-REx has begun!
Posted by Dante Lauretta on 2014/06/05 09:54 CDT
The construction of OSIRIS-REx has begun! Seeing the core structure being assembled demonstrated that OSIRIS-REx is no longer just a set of drawings and PowerPoint charts, it is starting to become a real spacecraft.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/06/03 11:17 CDT
Pioneer trails extend all the way to Mars.
Dawn Journal: Survey Orbit at Ceres
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/06/03 09:59 CDT | 2 comments
This month Dawn's mission director Marc Rayman continues the preview of how Dawn will explore Ceres, this time in its survey orbit.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Ongoing Adventure
Posted by Samuel Lawrence on 2014/05/29 06:16 CDT | 5 comments
A few people think that when it comes to the Moon, because we’ve “been there, and done that,” there is nothing new left to discover. But that viewpoint could not be farther from the truth!
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