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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Still Silent, Team Still Hopeful
It’s now been more than six and a half months that the longest-lived robot on another planet has been incommunicado.
Chang'e-4 deploys rover on far side of the Moon
The rover is named Yutu-2, China's space agency announced.
MU69 appears as a bi-lobed baby comet in latest New Horizons images
The latest images downlinked from New Horizons show MU69 to be a textbook example of a contact binary. How do contact binaries form? Updated with images released on 3 January.
China successfully lands Chang'e-4 on far side of Moon
It’s a space feat no nation has accomplished until now.
Happy New Year! The New Horizons flyby was successful!
New Horizons has
News brief: OSIRIS-REx arrives in orbit at Bennu
Today at 19:43 UTC, OSIRIS-REx entered orbit at asteroid Bennu. In so doing, it accomplished both the tightest orbit (at an altitude under 2 kilometers) and the orbit of the smallest object ever. UPDATE: Early science results from OSIRIS-REx discussed at New Horizons MU69 flyby event.
New Horizons fast approaching 2014 MU69
Unaffected by the shutdown of the U.S. government, New Horizons is still on course for its New Year’s encounter with 2014 MU69 (nicknamed “Ultima Thule”). This post collects the latest images from New Horizons' approach to the tiny Kuiper belt object and will be updated regularly.
A new look at Europa, with old data
Ted Stryk shows us a new color, near-global view of Europa made from Galileo spacecraft data captured in 1996.
Happy Holidays. NASA is Shut Down.
A partial government shutdown has shuttered NASA's operations for at least a week. Critical programs like the International Space Station will continue. This is the third shutdown of 2018 and another pointless disruption for the hardworking men and women at the U.S. space agency.
Dawn Journal: Final Transmission
After more than 11 years in deep space, after unveiling the two largest uncharted worlds in the inner solar system, after overcoming myriad daunting obstacles, Dawn's interplanetary adventure has come to an end.
InSight update, sols 1-24: Operations begin, first instrument deployed
It’s been a busy first three weeks on the InSight mission, and they’ve already achieved a major milestone: placing the seismometer on the ground. They've also gathered a self-portrait and 360-degree panorama.
The December Solstice 2018 Issue of The Planetary Report Is Out!
I’m very proud to announce the publication of the December Solstice 2018 issue of The Planetary Report, “Where Life Began.”
Whose stars? Our heritage of Arabian astronomy
For UNESCO World Arabic Language Day, Danielle Adams reconstructs the Arabian night sky.
What to Expect When New Horizons Visits 2014 MU69, Ultima Thule
New Horizons is rapidly approaching its New Year’s encounter with the most distant world ever visited, 2014 MU69. Closest approach will be at a distance of 3,500 kilometers at about 05:33 on 1 January UTC.
Total Immersion in the Heavens
Casey Dreier assesses the significance of the Apollo program on its 50th anniversary.
Flying By Home
Vicky Hamilton explores how OSIRIS-REx used its Earth flyby to test instruments on the way to asteroid Bennu.
The Making of Life
Michael L. Wong asks how our understanding of the origin of life on Earth informs our search for it elsewhere.
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.
A Busy Summer
Bruce Betts reports on LightSail 2’s status and looks to the future of solar sailing.
Where We Are on 1 January 2019
Emily Lakdawalla adds several spacecraft but retires several more from her at-a-glance spacecraft locator.