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Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
An Amazing Evening for Planetary Defense
Bill Nye, Bruce Betts, Mat Kaplan, Meteorite Man Geoffrey Notkin and stars of planetary science at the Planetary Defense Conference public event in Flagstaff.
Planetary Science Is Fading to Black, Claims New Op-Ed
A powerful new op-ed in SpaceNews traces the inevitable decline of NASA's Planetary Science missions if the current cuts to the program are implemented.
Antares sails test payload into orbit
Orbital Sciences Corporation completed a major milestone for NASA's COTS program as their Antares rocket sent a test payload into orbit.
No Place Like Home
Mars and Earth share a truly striking family resemblance, but there's no mistaking which one is home.
A walk among the mesas of Deuteronilus Mensae
Enjoy some pretty pictures of some bizarre terrain on Mars: the mesas of Deuteronilus Mensae.
Saving the World: Shoemaker NEO Grant Winners Announced
What do the discovery of close fly by asteroid 2012 DA14 and the most productive near Earth object (NEO) follow-up tracking program in the world have in common? They were both made possible by Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO Grants. And, now, we again invest in the future and defending against the asteroid threat to Earth. NEO Shoemaker Award winners for 2013 announced.
Tides of light and ice: Water and rock made from snowmelt on Mars
A recently published paper proposes that much of the sedimentary rock on Mars formed during rare, brief periods of very slight wetness under melting snow.
What We're Doing About NASA's Planetary Science Budget Cut
All cylinders are firing here in the Society as we rev up a big response for the White House's NASA budget that proposes another $200 million cut to Planetary Science.
Help Wanted: Web Editor Intern
The Planetary Society is looking for a bright, motivated person with superb attentiveness to detail who wants hands-on web editing experience.
In a New Light
Cassini's unique views of Jupiter and Saturn.
Australia comes of age in the satellite world
On April 9, the current Australian government announced the first formal Australian space policy. Astronomy graduate student Michele Bannister explains what this means for the country.
Russia's Mars 3 lander maybe found by Russian amateurs
Виталий Егоров (Vitaliy Egorov) is a Russian space enthusiast who enlisted help of fellow enthusiasts to search for -- and maybe find -- the Russian Mars 3 hardware on the Martian surface. Here he explains how he did it.
Planetary Society Weekly Hangout: The Ice Giants, with Heidi Hammel
My guest this was Planetary Society Board vice president Heidi Hammel. We discussed two planets near and dear to our hearts, Neptune and Uranus. What's new on these icy worlds since Voyager 2 passed by, and what are the prospects for their future exploration?
Antares ready for inaugural flight
Orbital Sciences Corporation is ready to send their Antares rocket system on its inaugural flight.
Bad Budget News for NASA's Planetary Exploration Program
The Administration just released its proposed budget for 2014 and it contains some very bad news for NASA's planetary exploration program. Just three weeks ago the U.S. Congress rejected similar cuts proposed for planetary exploration last year. It was a clear statement of support by both Congress and the public: planetary exploration is an affordable national priority.
2014 NASA Budget Cuts $200 million from Planetary Science -- Again
NASA's new budget doubles down on cuts to Planetary Science, despite Congress rejecting a similar proposal last year.
First Analysis: the NASA Planetary Science Budget for 2014
No mission to Europa, diminished funding for outer planets missions, a small bump to small spacecraft missions, and an increase for asteroid detection are part of the White House's proposal for NASA in 2014.
Blast from the Past: Spirit's tracks at the "End of the Rainbow"
Doug Ellison shared this lovely panorama via Twitter over the weekend. It's from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, taken back in 2004. The drunken path in the foreground is a visual record of just how exciting it was for Spirit to have finally made it to the Columbia Hills, and to rocks that were not fragments of basalt.
More Evidence for a Habitable Mars from EGU 2013
NASA's Curiosity rover has acquired further evidence that Mars's atmosphere was once dense enough to support liquid water on the surface.
One Day in the Solar System
Dispatches from five different worlds--all sent by robotic spacecraft on the same day.



Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Small Bodies