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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Beresheet Overcomes Early Glitches, Continues Journey to the Moon
The spacecraft performed its second engine burn, raising the highest point of its orbit to more than a third of the way to the Moon.
Fun With a New Data Set: The OSIRIS-REx Earth Flyby
The OSIRIS-REx team recently issued their first data release to the Planetary Data System. This release doesn’t include any closeup pictures of asteroid Bennu, but it does include all the pictures they took during their September 2017 Earth flyby.
Practicing Mars 2020 rover operations, on Earth
Jeff Johnson files a report from ROASTT, the Rover Operations Activities for Science Team Training.
Pretty Pictures of the Cosmos: Hidden Gems
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block shares of his latest views of our universe.
Hayabusa2 has touched down on Ryugu!
Touchdown occurred at about 22:49 UTC on 21 February, and the spacecraft is healthy.
Beresheet has launched!
SpaceIL's Beresheet spacecraft is on its way to the Moon following a successful launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida.
InSight update, sols 43-83: Instrument placement complete
InSight has placed its second science instrument on the ground and set it free. Now it's time to bury the heat probe in the soil.
What to expect when Hayabusa2 collects a sample from Ryugu
More than 4 years after launch and a half year surveying asteroid Ryugu, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is ready for sample collection.
What to expect when Beresheet launches to (and lands on) the Moon
Launch day is almost here for the small lunar lander built by Israeli non-profit SpaceIL.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update Special Report: NASA Declares Opportunity and MER Mission 'Complete'
At around 8 pm February 12, 2019, Pacific Standard Time (PST), the final commands were transmitted to Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover that defied all odds.
Touchdown for InSight's Heat Probe
InSight has gone two for two, placing the second of its instruments gently on the Martian ground.
Looking Back at MU69
A crescent view of MU69 reveals its bizarre shape. Let's look at lots of other fun-shaped space crescents.
Stunning new images show what the Chang'e-4 mission has been up to
Chang’e-4 is sending home brilliant footage from its various spacecraft, while also being snapped by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Curiosity Update, Sols 2257-2312: Drilling at Rock Hall and Arrival at the Valley of Clay
Curiosity completed work at Vera Rubin Ridge with an easy drilling activity at Rock Hall. Now it has finally driven on to mineral-rick rocks that were seen from orbit, long before Curiosity arrived. The team plans a lengthy traverse of the clay-bearing unit.
Pretty Pictures of the Cosmos: Sensational Spirals
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block shares some of his latest galactic treasures.
So long, MarCO, and thanks for the radio transmissions
NASA says it does not expect to receive any more transmissions from the MarCO CubeSats that accompanied Insight to Mars last year.
InSight Milestone: Wind and Thermal Shield Placed Sol 66
InSight mission has successfully placed the wind and thermal shield over the seismometer. The seismometer will now be shielded from winds and kept warm over the cold Martian nights, so the quality of its data should dramatically increase.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Logs 15th Year in Silence, Team Begins 'Hail Mary' Efforts
As a string of dust storms moved through Meridiani Planum and over Endeavour Crater in January, Opportunity silently wrapped her fifteenth year on the surface of Mars.
OSIRIS-REx stable in Bennu orbit, team refines sample collection plans
The team has yet to find a Bennu sample site that matches their pre-arrival expectations, meaning their plans will probably have to change.
Why are there no stars in most space images?
Look up at space at night from a dark location and you can see innumerable stars. Why, then, do photos of so many things in space show black space, devoid of stars?