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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Desert Moon, Narrated by Former Astronaut Mark Kelly, Now Available Online
Desert Moon, a 35-minute documentary that tells the story of Dr. Gerard Kuiper and the dawn of planetary science, is now available online.
Report: NASA May Be Hard-Pressed to Launch SLS by November 2018
A report released by NASA’s Office of Inspector General warns that the agency may be hard-pressed to have its Kennedy Space Center launch facilities ready by November 2018.
Launch Pad Animals, Ranked
A semi-authoritative ranking of creatures that co-inhabit rocket launch sites around the world.
LightSail Featured on CBS Evening News
The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft made an appearance on national television Monday night during a two-minute segment by CBS Evening News.
In Pictures: Expedition 42 Crew Returns to Earth
Three International Space Station crew members are back on Earth today following a morning Soyuz landing on the snowy steppes of Kazakhstan.
NASA and Orbital ATK Complete SLS Booster Test (Updated)
A blast of fire and smoke lit up the hills of Promontory, Utah this morning as NASA and Orbital ATK completed a test firing of a Space Launch System solid rocket booster.
Interview with an SLS Engineer: How Booster Test May Help Drive Golden Spike for Interplanetary Railroad
With NASA and Orbital ATK preparing for an important test tomorrow in Utah, an SLS engineer describes the inner workings of the vehicle's new solid rocket boosters.
LightSail Arrives in Florida; More Launch Details Revealed
A cadre of CubeSats including The Planetary Society’s LightSail spacecraft completed a cross-country journey to Florida, where they await installation aboard an Atlas V rocket.
Russia Moves to Support ISS through 2024, Create New Space Station
The future of the International Space Station is a little clearer this week, following a statement from Russia supporting an extension of the orbiting complex through 2024.
Spacewalk Timelapse Makes Cable Routing Look Fun
A timelapse video shows two NASA astronauts as they became typical neighborhood cable technicians—except for the fact that they were wearing space suits.
How LightSail Holds Its Place in Space
There are few systems aboard a spacecraft more important than attitude control. This infographic shows how LightSail holds its place in space.
In Pictures: DSCOVR Headed for Deep Space
On Wednesday evening, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocketed into orbit with DSCOVR, the Deep Space Climate Observatory. Here's a photo and video roundup.
Europe's Experimental Spaceplane Completes Successful Test Flight
The IXV spaceplane, designed to demonstrate reentry technologies, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean this morning after a successful, 100-minute test flight.
Two Days, Two Launches and Three Landings
Within a two-day span, two rocket launches and three ocean landings are scheduled—one of which involves an autonomous spaceport drone ship.
FOIA Request Sheds Light on NASA Mission Extension Process
A FOIA request offers insight into NASA's planetary science extended mission review process, which seems, at best, confusing, and at worst—with adjectival ratings like “Very Good/Good”—arbitrary.
NASA Budget Lists Timelines, Costs and Risks for First SLS Flight
NASA will set the Space Launch System's inaugural flight date at the end of this year, according to the agency's 2016 budget request, which was released on Monday.
Commercial Crew Rivalries: Fun to Watch, Everybody Wins
Now that Boeing and SpaceX have won the high-profile privilege of carrying astronauts to the ISS, they must start making public appearances as reluctant equals.
It's Official: LightSail Test Flight Scheduled for May 2015
This May, the first of The Planetary Society's two member-funded LightSail spacecraft is slated to hitch a ride to space for a test flight aboard an Atlas V rocket.
Watch the Incredible 'Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly' of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has released four images of the company's Falcon 9 rocket impacting its drone ship landing pad in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reconstructing What Happened at Sea, as Dragon Arrives at Station
Following a routine two-day voyage, SpaceX's Dragon capsule pulled in to port at the International Space Station. Meanwhile, tweets from CEO Elon Musk give clues on what happened at sea.