Explore Worlds
Find Life
Defend Earth
All
All
Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
United Launch Alliance Unveils New CubeSat Carrier Program
United Launch Alliance plans to include a CubeSat carrier on nearly every one of its Atlas V and Vulcan rockets starting in 2017, the company announced today.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center, Preparing for the Future of Human Spaceflight
As NASA kicks off a multi-decadal effort to send humans to Mars, the agency's traditional human spaceflight centers have had to adapt to new challenges—often more programmatic than technical.
SpaceX Completes Crew Dragon Propulsion System Development Testing
SpaceX has completed development testing on its SuperDraco propulsion system, used to propel the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft away from a Falcon rocket in the event of a launch failure.
In Pictures: Orion, SLS Hardware on the Move
November is shaping up to be a busy month for Orion and Space Launch System hardware. A human-rated flight engine is in the test stand at Stennis Space Center, and a version of Orion's service module is getting ready to cross the Atlantic.
On Station's 15th Anniversary, A Look at Astronaut Utilization
An analysis by The Planetary Society shows that in the post-space shuttle era, NASA astronauts spend roughly 33 percent less time aboard the International Space Station than their Russian counterparts.
At Mars Workshop, Science and Human Spaceflight Find Common Ground
An update from NASA’s First Human Landing Sites/Exploration Zones on Mars Workshop at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas.
Where Should Humans Land on Mars? Workshop to Discuss Possibilities
This week in Houston, Texas, scientists are gathering to discuss where humans should first land and explore on the surface of Mars.
LightSail Deployer Passes Prox-1 Fit Check
At Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo engineers loaded a P-POD replica into the partially assembled frame of the Prox-1 spacecraft. The meetup was a fit check to make sure the two pieces of hardware fit together as designed.
SLS Sheds White Paint, Completes Critical Design Review
NASA's Space Launch System officially shed the core stage's white paint job in favor of the vehicle's natural, orange-colored insulation.
Enhanced Cygnus Arrives at KSC ahead of Atlas V-powered Cargo Run
Orbital ATK is a month-and-a-half away from resuming cargo runs to the International Space Station.
LightSail and Prox-1 Start Testing and Integration Process
On opposite sides of the United States, teams are starting the testing process to prepare two spacecraft for a one-of-a-kind in-space rendezvous.
NASA-sponsored SmallSats Get Dedicated Rides to Space
NASA-sponsored small satellites will soon have dedicated rides to space, thanks to a new, light-duty rocket program called Venture Class Launch Services, or VCLS.
NASA's Journey to Mars Report: A Plan to Form a Strategy for a Concept
NASA released a much-anticipated strategy document outlining the agency's next steps for getting humans to Mars, but the report lacks details. What should we make of it?
Telerobotics: Unifying Human and Robotic Spaceflight
Telerobotics—with humans nearby—just might be the perfect unification of human and robotic spaceflight. Two groups at NASA and ESA are working to make this fledgling technology commonplace.
Thousands of Photos by Apollo Astronauts now on Flickr
A cache of more than 8,400 unedited, high-resolution photos taken by Apollo astronauts during trips to the moon is now available for viewing and download on Flickr.
Cargo Craft Completes Six-Hour Schlep to ISS
A Russian cargo craft laden with more than three tons of food, fuel and supplies arrived at the International Space Station today.
LightSail Gets Backup Burn Wire for 2016 Mission
LightSail's burn wire, the mission-critical component responsible for releasing the spacecraft's solar panels, will get a backup ahead of next year's solar sailing mission.
How to Download Weather Satellite Images from Space
For less than $50, you can download images from NOAA satellites using your laptop and a small radio antenna.
Blue Origin to Launch Rockets from Cape Canaveral
Spaceflight company Blue Origin plans to launch its orbital rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the company revealed Tuesday.
Orion Enters Fabrication Phase, but Possible Launch Slip Looms
NASA's Orion spacecraft has officially moved from preliminary design to fabrication, but the agency says the first crewed flight of the vehicle could slip two years, from 2021 to 2023.