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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Space Policy and Advocacy Quarterly Update - July 2017
The Space Policy and Advocacy team has released its first in a series of regular program updates on our activities, actions, and priorities in our effort to promote space science and exploration in Washington, D.C.
From Member to Member
When a Society member met with his member of Congress, he told us about it, and we followed up.
Planetary Society volunteers host SpaceUp London 2017
Earlier this month, The Planetary Society brought together space enthusiasts at Queen Mary University of London for “SpaceUp London 2017”—the first large-scale event organized by Planetary Society volunteers in Europe.
Did a Planetary Society citizen scientist help find one of Earth’s biggest impact craters?
Scientists have found what appears to be a 250-kilometer-wide crater near the Falkland Islands. Is it ground zero for Earth's largest-ever extinction event?
Announcing a New Paper on NASA's Mars Exploration Program
NASA’s robotic Mars Exploration Program is on a troubling path of decline—and decisions must be made now in order to stop it. A new report by the Society explains why.
LightSail 2 partner spacecraft ships safely to New Mexico
Georgia Tech's Prox-1 spacecraft has arrived at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where it will be integrated with LightSail 2. The SmallSats will ride to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in December 2017 or later.
The Planetary Society’s Canadian Initiative
It’s an exciting time for Canada in space. It’s also an exciting time for Canadian space advocacy, as The Planetary Society's Global Community Outreach Manager Kate Howells describes.
NASA's 2018 budget request is here, and we broke down the details
The White House's 2018 federal budget request includes $19.1 billion for NASA, which is a 3 percent drop from 2017. We broke down the details.
Bill Nye Honors Carl Sagan, Talks LightSail® on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” In a nod to Sagan (Bill’s Astronomy professor at Cornell University), Bill unveiled his own shiny version of a crude model.
Planetary Science Just Got Its Best Budget in Years
The President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, funding the U.S. government for the remainder of the fiscal year. NASA got a boost to $19.65 billion, and its Planetary Science Division saw a budget increase to $1.846 billion—its best budget in more than ten years.
Old documents shine new light on NASA's plan to send a solar sail to Halley's Comet
The Planetary Society's LightSail project has roots in a late-1970s NASA plan to send a giant solar sail spacecraft to Halley's Comet. Now, a cache of archival documents adds new depth to the audacious plan.
Our asteroid hunters are trying to save the world. Here’s what they’ve been up to
Here are some recent reports from our NEO Shoemaker Grant program asteroid observers, who are quite literally trying to save the world.
Here's our exhaustive guide to Trump's 392-word NASA budget
We break down every sentence from Trump's new NASA budget, so you don't have to.
Signed, sealed but not delivered: LightSail 2 awaits ship date
Following a pre-ship review at Planetary Society headquarters, LightSail 2 is ready to be integrated with its Prox-1 partner spacecraft. The final shipping schedule, however, has yet to be determined.
Solar sailing in Japan: 10 questions for LightSail engineer Barbara Plante
Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye and LightSail systems engineer Barbara Plante recently traveled to Japan for a solar sailing symposium. Our Q&A with Plante discusses everything from CubeSat attitude control systems to robotic giraffes in Tokyo.
See LightSail at the London Science Museum
The London Science Museum, one of the world’s leading science centers, has welcomed our citizen-funded spacecraft into its halls.
Want to build on our LightSail work? Here are some resources to get started
The Planetary Society is launching a new webpage showcasing LightSail academic papers, schematics, parts and imagery.
Connecting with Carl Sagan at the Library of Congress
Whether you explore The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive online or at the Library of Congress during a visit to Washington, D.C., you’ll learn something new and have a deeper understanding of Carl Sagan.
Congress Delays Action on NASA's 2017 Budget
Congress stands ready to punt on NASA's budget, meaning the space program will have to operate on a short budgetary leash until April of next year.
Ground finale? Deployment test moves LightSail 2 closer to handoff
LightSail 2 successfully demonstrated all of its critical functions during what may have been the CubeSat's final end-to-end systems test at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.