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Major Moons
We have completed reconnaissance missions to all eight of the planets, and will soon perform surveys of two dwarf planets, Ceres and Pluto. Among the most compelling targets for future flagship missions are the solar system's moons. Can we use Phobos as a base from which to tele-operate Mars missions? Is there prebiotic chemistry or even life within the buried oceans of Europa, Ganymede, or Enceladus, or in the methane-ethane rivers and lakes on Titan? What could we learn about the Kuiper belt by studying Neptune's captured moon Triton? What could human explorers do on our own Moon using technology developed over the last 40 years?
These questions drive interest in future missions among scientists, but it's an uphill battle to sell decisionmakers on the value of expensive missions to objects that are "only" moons. For us to capitalize on the successes of our reconnaissance missions, it is essential to educate the public about the reasons that other worlds' moons are so exciting, and that they are worlds every bit as worthy of study as the planets.
Recent Blog Entries about our Moon, Phobos, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, Titan, and Triton
Mars Exploration Family Portrait
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/11/23 12:26 CST | 1 comments
Jason Davis put together this neat summary of the checkered history of Mars exploration.
Phobos-Grunt unpacked! With Yinghuo-1 and LIFE!
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/10/18 02:01 CDT | 1 comments
Phobos-Grunt unpacked! With Yinghuo-1 and LIFE!
Saturnlit moon, sunlit fountains
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/10/07 06:00 CDT
Saturnlit moon, sunlit fountains
Notes from Day 5 of the EPSC/DPS meeting: Saturn's storm, Phobos, and Lutetia
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/10/07 07:09 CDT
Notes from Day 5 of the EPSC/DPS meeting: Saturn's storm, Phobos, and Lutetia
Some first impressions of EPSC-DPS meeting
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/10/03 11:55 CDT
Some first impressions of EPSC-DPS meeting
Pretty pictures: Dancing moons
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/28 12:28 CDT
Pretty pictures: Dancing moons
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2011/09/26 01:19 CDT
Ted Stryk reminisces on how he was turned on to astronomy.
New Horizons Day 2: Tectonic features on icy worlds
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/09 01:05 CDT
New Horizons Day 2: Tectonic features on icy worlds
New Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photos show Apollo sites in sharpest detail yet
Posted by Jason Davis on 2011/09/08 11:58 CDT
On September 6, NASA released new high-resolution photos from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) showing the Apollo 12, 14 and 17 landing sites from vantage points as close as 21 kilometers.
Titan crater and programming note
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/09/02 11:58 CDT
Titan crater and programming note
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