Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

Here's our rolling list of space things affected by the U.S. government shutdown

The International Space Station stays open for business; everything else is at least somewhat affected.

Space Policy & Advocacy Program Quarterly Report - January 2018

As a service to our members and to promote transparency, The Planetary Society's Space Policy and Advocacy team publishes quarterly reports on their activities, actions, priorities, and goals in service of their efforts to promote space science and exploration in Washington, D.C.

Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye with Congressman Jim Bridenstine

Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye to Attend the State of the Union Address

When a congressman and current nominee for NASA Administrator asks you to be his guest at the state of the union address in Washington, D.C., how do you respond? For us, the answer was easy. Yes, Bill would be there.

Dawn Journal: 4 Billion Miles

Permanently in residence at dwarf planet Ceres, Dawn is now preparing to add some finishing touches to its mission.

Let's talk about NASA's latest commercial crew delay

SpaceX and Boeing might not be certified to carry astronauts to the International Space Station until 2019 or 2020.

Global view of Venus in ultraviolet from Akatsuki, May 17, 2016

A new look at Venus with Akatsuki

Amateur image processor Damia Bouic shares a plethora of stunning new images of Venus captured by a Japanese spacecraft.

Color HiRISE swaths covering the Curiosity field site

HiRISE image coverage of the Curiosity field site on Mars, Version 4.0

The latest and greatest update of Emily's list of all the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE images that contain Curiosity hardware, tracks, or traverses.

No plumes? No problem. How Europa Clipper will analyze an icy moon's ocean

Europa doesn't have grandiose plumes like Enceladus. So how will the Clipper mission figure out what's in Europa's ocean?

Before & After: Vera Rubin Ridge HiRISE color and CRISM hematite band depth

Curiosity update, sols 1814-1926: Vera Rubin Ridge Walkabout

Curiosity is climbing across the top of Vera Rubin Ridge, spying varicolored rocks. It's getting closer to being ready to drill again, and has performed a wet chemistry experiment for the first time.

December Solstice 2017 issue of The Planetary Report

Winter 2017/2018 issue of The Planetary Report

The Winter 2017/2018 issue of The Planetary Report is arriving in Planetary Society members’ mailboxes—but members who like to read their magazine on the screen can pick it up online.

The Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Beats Winter, Wraps 2017, and Heads for 14th Anniversary

With the Martian winter on the run, Opportunity cruised closer to its 14th anniversary of exploring the Red Planet in December as she deliberated a distinctive “fork in the road” deep in Perseverance Valley and wrapped another record year.

What changed with space directive #1?

President Trump signed Space Directive #1, formally implementing as policy what Vice President Pence had announced at the first meeting of the National Space Council in October: that NASA will focus its human spaceflight efforts on a return to the Moon, and then onto Mars. What really changed?