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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Planetary protection: How to explore Mars and other worlds responsibly
Planetary protection means protecting other worlds from Earthly microbes and containing possible microbes that sample return missions might bring back to Earth.
What are the most Earth-like worlds we’ve found?
The ongoing hunt for Earth-like worlds, especially over the next few decades, hopes to illuminate how ordinary and extraordinary our planet may be.
Proximity and distance
Looking at planets and moons from near and far, and figuring out how to get all the way out there.
Why we need plutonium power for space missions
Spacecraft need power to reach the dark, dusty, distant locales of our solar system. Safe, non-weapons-grade plutonium-238 provides that power when solar energy can't cut it.
LightSail 2 Sails On!
The Planetary Society’s crowdfunded LightSail 2 spacecraft is going strong and still making history.
The Space Advocate Newsletter, August 2021
Mars via the nuclear option.
Jaw-Dropping Jupiter
10 years after launching, Juno is still showing us Jupiter’s stunning beauty.
We Love to Buggy
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo mission that introduced Moon buggies to the world, and catch up on this week’s space news.
Water plumes from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may show promising signs of life
New research says methane levels detected in the plumes of one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, might point to a habitable world.
The Icy Intrigue of Enceladus
Saturn’s icy moon invites further study, and The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft celebrates an anniversary.
Remembering Missions And Anticipating Those To Come
Reminisce about the influential Viking missions, picture seeing your all-time favorites on your wall, and get excited for what’s to come.
The Space Advocate Newsletter, July 2021
Spaceflight is changing. Let's embrace it.
Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic: their space tourism flights explained
Though Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin have similar overarching ambitions, there are some stark differences in their approaches to suborbital space tourism.
How Dragonfly will explore Saturn’s ‘bizarro Earth’ moon, Titan
NASA's Dragonfly dual-quadcopter will carry a suite of instruments designed to analyze the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan.
Cyclones and Storms and Flares, Oh My!
Jupiter’s cyclones are beautiful, and the Sun’s storms and flares are a little bit scary.
Seeing Ourselves in Space
When we look at our planet, look for life, or direct a rover to look at itself, we see ourselves in new ways.
Why NASA pays SpaceX and Boeing to fly astronauts to the International Space Station
Commercial crew is a partnership between NASA and private industry to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station and create a new market for humans in space.
The best pictures of Saturn’s rings
Here are some of our favorite pictures of Saturn's iconic rings, featuring images from Cassini, Voyager 1 and 2 and more.
Unlikely Space Travelers
Squid, mice, and stuffed animals may seem like Earthlings, but this week they’re coming to you from space.
LightSail 2 completes second year in space
Two years after launch, The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 spacecraft is still solar sailing and paving the way for future missions.