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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
ISS partners consider ambitious lunar sample return mission
The plan involves NASA's proposed Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, and a return to Earth via the Orion spacecraft.
NASA, international partners consider solar sail for Deep Space Gateway
A Canadian Space Agency proposal would install a solar sail on the outside of the Deep Space Gateway, a miniature space station in lunar orbit.
Space station partners weigh in on NASA’s Deep Space Gateway plans
In March, NASA officials revealed updated plans for a small space station near the Moon called the Deep Space Gateway. Anatoly Zak reports the plans threw a monkey wrench into years-long planning efforts by NASA’s international partners.
NASA, ISS partners quietly completing design of possible Moon-orbiting space station
Could NASA and its international partners construct a space station in orbit around the Moon? Possible designs are being finalized, but the Trump administration has yet to weigh in on the agency's human spaceflight program.
Russia’s Proton rocket grounded by poor quality control
Russia's workhorse Proton rocket may be grounded until June or July, dealing another blow to the country's launch infrastructure, which has been plagued by brain drain, mismanagement, poor quality control and corruption.
Mystery of Russia’s doomed Progress spacecraft may delay next ISS crew launch
More than a month after a Progress spacecraft bound for the International Space Station plunged to the ground during a botched launch attempt, investigators are still unable to clear its rocket to carry future ISS crews.
Spektr-RG sees (x-ray) light at the end of the tunnel
After many years of development, a cutting-edge Russian-German space observatory with little-known contribution from the US is finally approaching the launch pad...or so its scientists say.
An international outpost near the Moon gets closer to reality
International Space Station (ISS) project partners are inching ever closer toward an agreement to begin the development of a new human outpost in the vicinity of the Moon. If successful, the cis-lunar space station (a space station in the vicinity of the Moon) will be the largest international space project to date, influencing the direction of human space flight for decades to come.
ExoMars Domino Effect
A difficult but necessary decision by ESA and Roskosmos to postpone the launch of the ExoMars rover from 2018 to 2020 raises a question about the fate of other planetary exploration programs in the pipelines of both space agencies.
ExoMars Rover Seeks Exit From Dire Straits
The European Space Agency and Roskosmos have admitted the inevitable—the launch of the joint ExoMars-2018 project will have to be postponed for two years to 2020.
Russia approves its 10-year space strategy
After months of delays, the Russian government finally approved the nation’s 10-year space program worth 1.406 trillion rubles ($20.5 billion) last week.