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Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
NASA's Europa Mission Concept Rejects ASRGs -- May Use Solar Panels at Jupiter Instead
The Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) is no longer an option for powering a potential Europa mission. The ASRG uses Plutonium-238 to generate electricity, but is far more efficient than past RTGs.
Mars, Old and New: A Personal View by Bruce Murray
An interview with Bruce Murray from 2001 about his perspectives on Mars science and exploration: past, present, and future.
NASA Backs Off From Additional Planetary Cuts in 2013
The final operating plan for the space agency provided $75 million more to planetary exploration than initially proposed.
SpaceNews Highlights the Planetary Society's Advocacy Work
The Planetary Society is
Finally, an FY13 NASA Planetary Budget, Just 11 Months Late
The final news for NASA's Planetary Science program is better than had been proposed, but still a substantial cut over the previous year. There may be serious future consequences as a result of the smaller program.
Small Could Be Beautiful - Planetary SmallSats
A new breed of small planetary spacecraft may allow for more frequent flights to the planets for highly focused missions.
August Advocacy Update: Where We Stand
Planetary exploration sees strong support from both parties in the current budget process, but we have a long way to go before a budget is passed this year.
Dream Chaser mini-shuttle prepares for free flight tests
Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser spacecraft recently completed a series of range and taxi tow tests, which pave the way for free flights that could begin this fall.
Back to the Future With NIAC Program Exec Jay Falker
This week's Planetary Radio talks with the head of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program about its mission and 12 newly-funded projects that could change the world.
"NASA non-concurs"
NASA responds to its advisory council's recommendations from April of this year.
Civil Servant Responsible for Government STEM Restructuring Identified
The government employee responsible for the proposed restructuring of all STEM programs in 2014 has been identified by the journal Science. The initiative faces resistance from both Congress and the scientific community, who feel that they were not consulted during the decision making process.
Should National Rivalries Still Drive U.S. Space Policy?
The House recently passed a NASA Authorization Bill that called for
Remembering the Pluto Campaign: A Success Story
The New Horizons mission to Pluto survived many near-death encounters with cancellation during its development. The Planetary Society worked the whole time to ensure it would launch.
J-2X: A Distant Dot Lights Up the Night
On Tuesday, NASA released new high-definition video of a June 26 nighttime J-2X engine test at Stennis Space Center in southern Mississippi.
Congress Rejects NASA's First Operating Plan
NASA's plan to raid Planetary Science funding to pay for sequester cuts in other science programs was rejected by Congress earlier this month. NASA is now working on a new plan that has yet to be submitted for approval.
House Committee Approves Smallest NASA Budget Since 1986
This budget, if enacted, would be the smallest budget NASA has seen since the mid '80s, when adjusted for inflation.
Laser Bees Papers
For those wishing to bore into more details of our Laser Bees project itself, graduate student Alison Gibbings from the University of Strathclyde has sent their technical paper that resulted from the 2013 Planetary Defense Conference.
Dueling Op-Eds on NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission
NASA Administrator Bolden and the Chairman of the House Science Committee published opposing op-eds in The Hill newspaper today, illustrating the uphill battle NASA faces to sell Congress on this mission.
The Goal is Mars
Today, The Planetary Society submitted our white paper to the National Research Council's call for
Uranus or Bust (and on a budget)
New plans may make a mission to Uranus affordable within NASA's new, constrained budget.



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