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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Your Timeline of Events for Orion's Maiden Voyage
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is ready to embark on its maiden voyage this Thursday. Here is a timeline of events.
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.
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.
With New Horizons Ready to Wake Up, Scientists Prepare for Pluto Encounter
When New Horizons wakes up for the final time on Dec. 6, scientists will spend six weeks preparing for the start of the spacecraft's Pluto encounter.
LightSail Gets Burn Wire Redesign for Round 2 of Vibration Tests
The Planetary Society's LightSail-A spacecraft is less than three weeks away from an expected go/no-go decision on whether the CubeSat will be launched into space for a shakedown cruise next year.
In Pictures: Expedition 41 Crew Returns to Earth
The crew of Expedition 41 is safely back on Earth following a 165-day stay aboard the International Space Station.
An Early Preview of Orion's Maiden Voyage
NASA's Orion spacecraft is just four weeks away from its first test flight. Here's an early preview of the mission.
TPS at DPS: A Screening of Desert Moon, Advocacy with Casey Dreier, and a Sagan Lecture
The Planetary Society will be well-represented at next week's Division for Planetary Sciences meeting in Tucson, Ariz.
SpaceShipTwo Feathering System Prematurely Deployed before Fatal Breakup
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after the space plane's tail stabilizers prematurely deployed, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
[Update 1] Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Destroyed in Testing Accident, 1 Dead, 1 Injured
The private spaceflight company's spaceplane was destroyed in an accident over California's Mojave Desert.
LightSail Vibration Test Shakes Loose New Problems
LightSail's random vibration test, meant to simulate the stress of an Atlas V rocket launch, shook loose new problems that the team will have to address.
[Update 2] Antares Rocket Explodes Seconds after Liftoff
An Antares rocket fell back to the launch pad shortly after liftoff, exploding in a fireball that destroyed the vehicle.
Surveyor Digitization Project Will Bring Thousands of Unseen Lunar Images to Light
A team of scientists at the University of Arizona plan to digitize 87,000 vintage images from the surface of the moon, of which less than two percent have ever been seen.
When Good Rockets Go Bad: Orion's Launch Abort System
One of the tricky parts of launching humans into space is deciding what to do if something goes wrong. And that's where Orion's Launch Abort System comes in.
As Deadlines Loom, LightSail Bends but Doesn't Break
The Planetary Society's LightSail 1 spacecraft is close to completing a final series of tests that pave the way for a possible 2015 test flight. But as deadlines loom, a new problem has sent the team scrambling to make a quick repair.
JPL Releases a Big, Bold Website Redesign
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a major overhaul of its website. Here's a closer look.
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?
More LightSail Day-in-the-Life Multimedia, and a Community Image Processing Challenge
We have more multimedia from LightSail's day-in-the-life test, as well as a request for some community image processing help.
In Pictures: A Busy Week at the International Space Station
This week, the International Space Station received a new crew and a welcomed a SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle. Here are a few photo highlights.