Welcome to the The Planetary Society's Press Room. Here you'll find the latest information about Society events, programs, personalities, and other news about the exploration of the universe.
Media Contact
To join our media list, or for more information about our news, please contact Danielle Gunn at press@planetary.org or 626-793-5100.
Comprehensive multimedia resources to support LightSail reporting including current news, archives, biographies, video, high-resolution photography for print and online purposes, and background information.
Press Releases/Media Alerts
Public Invited to Help Name the Largest Unnamed World in the Solar System (April 9, 2019)
It’s time to give 2007 OR10 a name. We’re asking for your help to pick a suitable name for 2007 OR10 to submit to the International Astronomical Union.
The Planetary Society Releases Official Statement on the FY 2020 NASA Budget Request (March 11, 2019)
This budget proposal, while an improvement compared to previous years, would cut nearly half a billion dollars from NASA. This is the wrong way to kick off an otherwise promising era of discovery and exploration in the next decade.
The Planetary Society Celebrates Canada’s Major Space Program Investment (February 28, 2019)
The Planetary Society praised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that the Canadian government will make significant new investments in its space program.
Recent Blogs
Calling All Image Processors: Help Us Create a Top-Down View of LightSail 2
Jason Davis • September 06, 2019
We've got 2 fish-eye pictures of the spacecraft's solar sail from opposite cameras, and we're hoping they can be combined.
The September Equinox 2019 Issue of The Planetary Report Is Out!
Emily Lakdawalla • September 03, 2019
A new issue of The Planetary Report brings you our pride in the success of LightSail 2 and our gratitude to our members for making it happen. Plus Venus science from Akatsuki and Venus Express, and the status of planetary defense.
Your Impact: Mission Success!
The Planetary Society • September 03, 2019
Your LightSail 2 spacecraft is in space, controlling its orbit solely on the power of sunlight.
Where We Are
Emily Lakdawalla • September 03, 2019
We lost and gained spacecraft at the Moon last quarter. India’s Chandrayaan-2 left Earth orbit for the Moon on 13 August, and its Vikram lander aims at a 7 September touchdown. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter just celebrated its tenth launch anniversary. China’s smallsat Longjiang-2 crashed on 31 July, ending its successful mission.
Why I Explore
Jennifer Vaughn • September 03, 2019
I explore space because I like feeling insignificant. I crave a dark night sky that reminds me that our Sun and even our galaxy are not unique. I find comfort in thinking about countless generations of humans looking at the same sky and asking questions similar to the ones I ask.
Tweets by exploreplanetsHigh-Resolution Photography for Print and Online Purposes
Image usage policy: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. For additional publication permissions, please contact us.
Click thumbnails to enlarge.
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
CubeSats have made low-cost space missions a reality for universities and research groups. However, these tiny satellites lack propulsion. LightSail will demonstrate the viability of solar sailing for CubeSats.
The Planetary Society's Shoemaker NEO Grant program helps astronomers find, track and characterize near-Earth objects.
Planetary Deep Drill is designed to explore tens, hundreds or even thousands of meters below the Martian polar ice caps and Europa's icy crust.
Become a member of The Planetary Society and together we will create the future of space exploration.
LightSail 2 launched aboard the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Be part of this epic point in space exploration history!
