Press Room
Welcome to the The Planetary Society's Press Room.
Here you'll find the latest information about Society events, programs, personalities, and other news about the exploration of the universe.
Media Contact
For more information on any of these releases, contact us at 626-793-5100 or via email at tps@planetary.org.
Nine-Year-Old Names Asteroid Target of NASA Mission in Competition Run By The Planetary Society (May 1, 2013)
Asteroid (101955) 1999 RQ36 now has the much friendlier name "Bennu," thanks to a 3rd-grade student from North Carolina.
Planetary Society Testimony for Congressional NASA FY14 Budget Hearings (April 24, 2013)
The Planetary Society's official testimony to Congress on the FY14 NASA Budget proposal.
The Planetary Society Takes Central Role in Asteroid Detection, Tracking, and Characterization (April 22, 2013)
At a major planetary defense conference in Flagstaff, AZ last evening, the Planetary Society announced the winners of its 2013 Shoemaker Near Earth Object (NEO) grants, and was recognized itself for the Society’s long history of international leadership in the detection and mitigation of threatening asteroids, and other planetary discoveries.
The Planetary Society Stands Against the Sequester, Encourages a 2013 Omnibus Bill (March 4, 2013)
The Planetary Society joins the chorus of voices denouncing the implementation of the Sequester, the automatic, across-the-board budget cuts to almost all federal programs. We strongly encourage Congress replace the sequester and pass an omnibus spending bill for the remainder of 2013.
Planetary Society Shoemaker Grant Enabled Discovery of Asteroid 2012 DA14 - Flying Close by Earth on February 15 (February 5, 2013)
On Friday, February 15, 2013, Asteroid 2012 DA14 will travel just 17,000 miles above the Earth - closer to our planet than the orbit of the communications satellite that broadcast the Super Bowl around the world. The discovery of Asteroid DA14 was made by a small team of observers at La Sagra Observatory in Southern Spain, enabled with a grant provided by The Planetary Society.
Current Projects
Shoemaker Near-Earth Object Grant Program
Planetary Society's Shoemaker Grant program supports astronomers following up potentially hazardous asteroids.
Something strange was happening in the outer reaches of our solar system. The Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft were not where they were supposed to be. The mystery of the Pioneer Anomaly has been solved The recovery of Doppler and telemetry data and the entire effort in thermal analysis would not have happened without the Planetary Society.
Support our Asteroid Hunters
They are Watching the Skies for You!
Our researchers, worldwide, do absolutely critical work.
Asteroid 2012DA14 was a close one.
It missed us. But there are more out there.
Save Our Science
Become a Space Advocate
We are at a crucial turning point in the history of planetary exploration.
You can help.
Together, we can get the budget we need to support our planetary endeavors and Save our Science.
We've done it before. Let's do it again.














