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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Crew Dragon Test Vehicle Suffers Mishap during Engine Testing
The extent of the accident is unclear, but a plume of orange smoke was visible from miles away.
Adapting an iPhone for Astrophotography
The sky is the limit, providing you’re willing to invest a little time for what is a surprisingly low-budget, hands-on project.
Software Command to Fix Faulty Sensor Doomed Beresheet
Six days after SpaceIL's Beresheet spacecraft crash-landed on the Moon, we now have an explanation for what went wrong.
Voyager Wide-Angle Views of Jupiter
Last month marked the 40th anniversary of the historic Voyager 1 encounter with Jupiter in 1979.
Beresheet Comes Close before Crashing on the Moon
Mission controllers announced Beresheet had a problem with its main engine, and the spacecraft stopped transmitting shortly thereafter.
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.
Beresheet is about to Land on the Moon
A successful landing will make SpaceIL the first private organization, and Israel the fourth country, to soft-land on the Moon.
2007 OR10 Needs a Name!
It’s time to give 2007 OR10 a name. We’re asking for your help to pick a suitable name for the largest as-yet-unnamed solar system world to submit to the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Hearing Recap: NASA’s FY 2020 Budget Request
On March 27, 2019, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies held a hearing titled, “NASA’s FY 2020 Budget Request.”
Beresheet Has Entered Lunar Orbit!
SpaceIL's Beresheet Moon lander successfully entered lunar orbit today after a 6-minute engine burn that began at 14:18 UTC / 10:18 EDT.
Hayabusa2 Safe and Sound after Blasting New Crater on Ryugu
Hayabusa2 successfully used its explosive-packed SCI experiment to create an artificial crater on asteroid Ryugu.
T-minus Five Years and Counting
Can NASA really return astronauts to the Moon by 2024?
Not a Heart of Ice
Mark Marley explains what planetary scientists mean when they say the word
First Science Results from Hayabusa2 Mission
The Hayabusa2 team held a press briefing last week at LPSC to report newly published results on asteroid Ryugu.
What to Expect When Hayabusa2 Blows a Hole in Asteroid Ryugu
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft will deploy its Small Carry-on Impactor experiment, SCI, on 5 April.
Beresheet Gears up for Lunar Rendezvous
The Israeli spacecraft is set to enter lunar orbit on 4 April at 17:57 UTC (13:57 EDT).
Pretty Pictures of the Cosmos: Lesser-Known Luminaries
Award-winning astrophotographer Adam Block shares some of his latest images highlighting some hidden gems.
OSIRIS-REx sees Bennu spewing stuff into space
The asteroid's rotation rate is also increasing, and scientists continue refining the plan to collect a regolith sample next year.
The March Equinox Issue of The Planetary Report Is Out!
I’m very pleased to announce the publication of the March Equinox issue of The Planetary Report: “Inside the Ice Giants.” The print issue shipped to members yesterday!
A Kepler Orrery
As of mission end on 30 October 2018, Kepler had detected 1,815 planets or planet candidates in multi-planet systems. All 726 such systems are drawn here.