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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
NASA Delays Asteroid Redirect Mission Concept Selection until 2015
NASA's efforts to capture a near-Earth asteroid and tow it back to lunar orbit will have to wait a little bit longer for a final mission concept.
SpaceX to Attempt First-Ever Ocean Barge Rocket Landing
Early next year, SpaceX will attempt what no agency or company has done before: land a used rocket stage on a floating ocean platform.
First Look Photographs of Orion's Return to Dry Land
NASA's Orion spacecraft is back on dry land following its offloading from the USS Anchorage late Monday night. Here are some selected photographs by Kevin Baird.
Orion L-2 Report: The Old Gives Way to the New
With less than two days before Orion's maiden voyage, NASA and United Launch Alliance are cautiously optimistic the flight will launch Thursday as scheduled.
Selecting the Next Creative Idea for Exploring the Solar System
With the release of the official Announcement of Opportunity (AO) early in November, NASA has officially begun the competition to select its next low cost ($450M) Discovery program planetary mission. Because planetary scientists are free to propose missions to any destination in the solar system other than the sun and Earth, these competitions bring out the creativity in the planetary science program.
United Launch Alliance Answers Burning Questions about Orion's Rocket
When Orion launches next week, you may notice something alarming: The spacecraft's rocket sort of catches itself on fire. But not to worry, says United Launch Alliance.
A Rich Potpourri of Future Mission Concepts
The past few months have brought announcements for new missions from India and China as well as a wealth of creative ideas for future missions.
In Pictures: Expedition 42 Crew Launches to Station
Three more humans are in space today following the launch of Soyuz TMA-15M from the chilly steppes of Kazakhstan.
How NASA Plans to Land Humans on Mars
On the surface, NASA's humans to Mars plans seem vague and disjointed. But that's because the agency is playing the long game. Right now, it may be the only game they can play.
Hunting Binary Asteroids
Thanks to The Planetary Society’s Shoemaker NEO Grant program, a new telescope has been brought to bear focusing on searching for and understanding the properties of binary asteroid systems.
Undeniable Commitment to Education, Empowerment & Understanding the Cosmos
Today, The Planetary Society celebrates our CEO Bill Nye’s latest science education feat: the release of his book, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation. Erin Greeson, The Planetary Society's director of communications, tells us about it.
Orion's Ride to Space is at the Launch Site. Why So Early?
On Tuesday, Orion's massive Delta IV Heavy rocket rolled from its Horizontal Integration Facility out to the launch site. Launch is still eight weeks away. Why so early?
Expedition 40 Crew Returns Safely to Earth
NASA astronaut Steve Swanson and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev are safely back on Earth following a five-and-a-half month stay aboard the International Space Station.
Planetary Science Gets Its Day in Congress
Watch Planetary Society President Jim Bell testify before a congressional subcommittee on Wednesday, September 10th.
Back on the Rails with OSETI
The Planetary Society sponsored all-sky optical SETI search at Harvard University went off the rails, telescope roof rails that is, but it is back on track and hunting the sky for ET.
NASA’s Big Rocket a Step Closer to Reality
NASA's Space Launch System passed a critical milestone yesterday, but buried within the announcement was news that the first launch could slip by nearly a year.
Mars 2020 Instruments – A Plan for Sample Return
Van Kane gives us a tour of the instruments selected for the Mars 2020 rover.
Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight By Jay Barbree
Mat Kaplan reviews a wonderful new biography on Neil Armstrong, written with the support of Armstrong and many of the other pioneering astronauts.
LightSail update: Launch dates
I’m excited to report some big news on The Planetary Society’s LightSail project: actual launch dates on actual launch vehicles!
The Habitable Zone of Inhabited Planets
A team of Colombian researchers are arguing for a new refinement to the idea of the habitable zone that takes the presence of life itself into account.