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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: bad days make for more blog fodder
Writer's block strikes the expedition, as the group continues to collect meteorites.
On the pronunciation of "Uranus"
On the pronunciation of
The Antarctic search for meteorites: 237 meteorites await the long drive to Houston
Fifty-five meteorites are collected by the team in a single day.
The Santorini panorama
A tip of the hat to Ryan over at Martian Chronicles for posting this lovely version of the Santorini panorama, which Opportunity captured just before Mars dipped too close to the Sun in late November of last year.
Spirit moved!
Hallelujah! For the first time in almost an Earth year, amateur mars mapper Eduardo Tesheiner is able to scratch a tiny little line on his map of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's peregrinations across Gusev Crater.
I am totally hooked on Scott Maxwell's new Mars Exploration Rover blog
Scott Maxwell is one of those many guys (and gals) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory who rarely gets his name in the news but who is absolutely indispensable to the success of a space mission. I don't know what his official title is, but whatever it is, it's not as good as the colloquial name given to his position: Rover Driver.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: not for the impatient
The team makes progress while facing extreme weather conditions.
Five Years of Spirit on Mars
On January 3, 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit landed on Mars, and I was with the science team at JPL when it happened! I can't believe it's been five years since the successful landing.
A Moon Among Stars
A very pretty picture of a moon among stars. Happy 2009, everyone!
The Antarctic search for meteorites: put-in at last; week of productive searches
A week of productive searching near the Davis Nunataks.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: more waiting; runway's ready; ralph goes home
As the team waits, the runway is finished, and Ralph makes an exit.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: waiting
The team is delayed for a week in McMurdo.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: preparations
The team arrives in Antarctica to prepare for the expedition.
MSL Launch Delayed by Two Years
As I post this, NASA is holding a press conference in which they are announcing that the Mars Science Laboratory's launch date will be slipped by two years.
MSL Press Conference Tomorrow
At 12 noon EST. I know what the announcement is, but I'm not allowed to tell you! How frustrating is that?!
MSL Press Conference Notes
Mike Griffin started the press conference, and got right down to business announcing the launch delay and indicating that the actuators as well as other technical problems are responsible.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: in Christchurch, New Zealand
The rest of ANSMET's team are in Christchurch after a long, long session of travel.
The Antarctic search for meteorites: introduction
ANSMET will post blog entires on their research during their 33rd field season.
Sample Return Cache on MSL Canceled!
I just heard, via this article at Universe Today, that the sample cache on MSL has been canceled.
Solar conjunction: Holidays for Mars missions, and an Opportunity update
The period of Mars solar conjunction has just begun, which means that a host of scientists and engineers whose day jobs entail interaction with the five active Mars spacecraft are getting a five-week break from the daily grind of operations.