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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
What to Expect when LightSail 2 Launches into Space
Our preview guide outlines the LightSail 2 mission from start to finish.
LightSail 2 Launch Viewing: Tips & Tricks
LightSail 2 is launching on the next SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is one payload of many on the mission known collectively as STP-2. Space Test Program (STP) is a crucial part of the US Air Force’s development of advanced technologies in space.
Your Impact: June Solstice 2019
The first of two new columns rounds up all the ways Society members are making a difference for space.
LightSail 2 Has a New Launch Date!
The official launch date is now no earlier than June 24th, and the launch window still opens at 11:30 p.m. eastern time.
What's the Difference between LightSail 1 and LightSail 2?
While LightSail 1 and 2 look nearly identical at a glance, there are a few important hardware differences between the two spacecraft.
How to Send a Camera to Mars
The next Martian explorer, Mars 2020, currently exists as a robotic skeleton at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Teams across the world are working diligently to construct the instruments that will adorn the rover, inside and out, and thereby give it the tools it needs to explore.
Getting an Opportunity to Give Your Presentation
Want to give a presentation on behalf of The Planetary Society in your community? We have tips and tricks for you!
LightSail 2 Arrives in Florida
Next Stop: Space!
LightSail Launch Event
LightSail 2’s launch window opens on June 22, and we are finalizing plans for our launch viewing celebrations. Once we have finished coordinating the details with the Air Force’s STP-2 mission team and the Kennedy Space Center, we will share them with all of our members and backers so that you can join us in person or remotely via the internet.
LightSail 2 set to launch next month aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
The Planetary Society's solar sail spacecraft will lift off 22 June 2019 on a mission to demonstrate the power of sunlight for propulsion.
LightSail 2 Integrated with Prox-1 Carrier Spacecraft
The Planetary Society's solar sailing CubeSat is officially on the road to launch.
The Planetary Society Announces 2019 Call for Proposals for Shoemaker NEO Grant Program
Our grants fund amateur observers, underfunded professional observers, and observers in developing countries who make vital contributions to NEO research.
How Your Donations are Helping Planetary Society Asteroid Hunters
Each year, we ask our Shoemaker NEO Grant winners to help us tell the world about their work. Here's what they said.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Flies Again; LightSail 2 Is Next!
SpaceX also went three-for-three on booster landings, marking another milestone for its Falcon Heavy rocket.
Practicing Mars 2020 rover operations, on Earth
Jeff Johnson files a report from ROASTT, the Rover Operations Activities for Science Team Training.
Planetary Deep Drill completes second field test
The work builds on a Planetary Society-sponsored test and paves the way for an ambitious expedition in Greenland this year.
Timing Is Everything
The tradition of giving to charities like The Planetary Society at year’s end often brings up questions about how to make those gifts, as well as their tax implications.
Mastcam-Z Flight Hardware!
After a more-than-four-year adventure, the flight Mars 2020 rover Mastcam-Z cameras have been fully assembled!
LightSail 2 launch pushed to early 2019
An Air Force official says an ‘initial launch capability’ is being reassessed.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is getting a signal boost
It's all thanks to renewed interest from NASA and a private effort to scan the skies using an array of 64 radio telescopes.