Snapshots from Space

New Horizons is locked on target for its Jupiter encounter

Emily Lakdawalla • November 02, 2006

Alan Stern just posted a detailed update on the status of New Horizons in his PI's Perspective blog on the mission website.

MESSENGER's Venus flyby successful

Emily Lakdawalla • October 24, 2006

A press release just hit my mailbox stating that MESSENGER has been heard from since its Venus flyby, so there are now only four flybys to go before MESSENGER will be in orbit at Mercury!

MESSENGER's position on October 23, 2006

MESSENGER is approaching its first Venus flyby

Emily Lakdawalla • October 23, 2006

There is a big event taking place tomorrow: the MESSENGER spacecraft flies by Venus for the first time.

Cassini's view from the backside of Saturn

Emily Lakdawalla • July 27, 2006

Over time, Cassini's orbit apoapsis—the point on the orbit that is farthest from Saturn—has been shifting slowly toward Saturn's night side. Lately, this point of view has resulted in some truly lovely photos of the planet.

They released the entire Cassini RADAR swath across Xanadu!

Emily Lakdawalla • July 20, 2006

Following immediately on the heels of the release of the "T7" swath to the Planetary Data System, the Cassini RADAR team has delivered more: yesterday they released the entire "T13" swath, acquired in April, to the public.

Cassini's T7 RADAR view of southern Titan; northern swath coming soon

Emily Lakdawalla • July 17, 2006

Cassini's T7 flyby of Titan occurred on September 7, 2005. They've now released the full swath of RADAR image data to the Planetary Data System; here it is for your enjoyment.

MESSENGER has flipped for the last time

Emily Lakdawalla • June 21, 2006

I just received a MESSENGER mission news update stating that the MESSENGER spacecraft, en route to Mercury via two Venus flybys, has passed another milestone on its long journey: it has, for the last time, passed from Earth's environs toward the inner solar system.