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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Spirit Sleeps through Solstice, Opportunity Cruises Past Viking Record
The Mars Exploration Rovers made it through their fourth winter solstice in what is the coldest, most challenging Martian winter the twin robot field geologists have experienced.
Photo proof of good progress on IKAROS sail deployment
We have photo proof that the multi-step process of the deployment of IKAROS' square solar sail is going according to plan!
Progress on WISE's asteroid survey
I wrote some time ago about the expectations for the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)'s contributions to solar system science. A couple of days ago, JPL posted an image and movie documenting the progress to date.
Is this the eastward turn we've all been waiting for?
As I discussed on Monday, Opportunity is in the middle of a lengthy trek toward a crater named Endeavour and its tantalizing upraised smectite-bearing rim.
Firming Up the Spacecraft Design
The LightSail 1 spacecraft development is proceeding well. Our engineering team has completed crucial milestones to building the vehicle that will demonstrate the value and potential of using sunlight alone to propel exploratory craft through space.
Using Earth to Study the Moon
Exploring Earth analogues of space landscapes is a valuable activity that can help planetary scientists correctly interpret what their instruments are telling them.
Initial checkout of IKAROS complete
JAXA has posted a short update on their solar sailcraft IKAROS.
The goal of Opportunity's trek
Opportunity's kilometers-long march across the sands of Meridiani Planum is a great story, and the journey is fun to follow; but what could be worth such a long march?
Akatsuki captures goodbye shots of Earth
Three of Akatsuki's six science instruments have now checked in as operating normally, producing lovely photos of the receding homeworld.
Official launch and landing dates announced for Curiosity
Yesterday the Jet Propulsion Laboratory formally announced the launch dates chosen for Curiosity, the next generation Mars rover also known as Mars Science Laboratory.
Voyager 2's flipped bit fixed
A happy ending to this story: JPL reported yesterday evening that the flipped bit in Voyager 2's flight data system software has been successfully toggled back to its correct value.
All's well on IKAROS and Shin-en
Today JAXA posted a very brief mission status update on the IKAROS spacecraft, launched yesterday along with Akatsuki. Brief is good; all's well.
Akatsuki, IKAROS, UNITEC-1, and your names are on their way to Venus
It was a picture-perfect launch for three Venus-bound spacecraft this morning: the Akatsuki Venus orbiter, the IKAROS solar sail, and a university-built minisat named UNITEC-1.
More Support for the 2011 Budget Proposal
The new joint statement by space organizations representing a large segment of the science and space-interest community, including The Planetary Society, is a terrific endorsement for the 2011 budget proposal for NASA.
Pretty picture: Messier 83
What does a barred spiral galaxy look like? THIS is what a barred spiral galaxy looks like.
Opportunity: longest-lived landed Mars mission
Today is sol 2,246 of Opportunity's mission to Mars; as I write, it's just before 7:00 local solar time. If this sol passes, as her previous 2,245 have done, with Opportunity still alive and speaking to Earth, she will have surpassed a record set on November 12, 1982: Opportunity will pass Viking Lander 1 as the longest-lived landed Mars mission.
The most amazing image of Enceladus Cassini has captured yet
Every time I think Cassini has captured the coolest image of Enceladus ever, it does better.
Apollo Astronaut Rusty Schweickart Boosts New NASA Plan
It's the hottest debate I've seen in 30 years of following space policy -- this uproar over NASA's proposed FY 2011 budget.
Pictures hitting Earth from Cassini's close Enceladus flyby today
Cassini flew within 436 kilometers of Enceladus' surface today. Although it's Cassini's 11th targeted flyby of Enceladus, these close buzzes are never routine.
Dione and Telesto, close on camera but far apart in fact
This image, released today by Cassini's imaging team, is pretty cool; it shows one of Saturn's larger moons together with one of its smaller ones. I probably noticed the nice photo of Dione when it appeared on the Cassini raw images page two months ago, but I know I didn't notice the little speck below and to the left of the bigger moon. That speck is a small moon, Telesto.