Are you ready for your close-up?

Bennu samples are yielding surprising discoveries. Samples returned from the asteroid by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission appear to contain a mixture of materials, including dust that formed in our Solar System, organic matter from interstellar space, and stardust that predates our Sun. Pictured: A scanning electron microscope image of a micrometeorite impact crater in a particle of asteroid Bennu material. Image credit: NASA/Zia Rahman.

JAXA and ESA are teaming up on an asteroid mission. The Japanese space agency recently announced that it will provide the rocket for a European mission to observe the asteroid Apophis when it passes close to the Earth in 2029.

Calling all creative writers! The SETI Institute has announced the Cosmic Chronicles Literary Prize, a contest for emerging writers of all ages whose work explores questions of life, intelligence, and consciousness in the Universe. Learn more about the contest and how to submit your work.

Ceres may have once been habitable. New analysis of data from NASA’s Dawn mission, which orbited the dwarf planet from 2015 to 2018, suggests that the bright, reflective regions on Ceres’ surface may consist of salts left over from liquid that came from an enormous reservoir of salty water below the surface.

JWST has taken its first look at 3I/ATLAS. The space telescope’s near-infrared observations of the interstellar comet suggest that its coma contains the gases carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, and carbonyl sulfide, in addition to water ice particles. They also suggest that it may have the highest ratio of carbon dioxide to water ever observed in a comet.

Juice is on track for a gravity-assist flyby of Venus after an anomaly. The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission briefly lost communication with Earth in July, but the mission team resolved that issue. The spacecraft will fly past Venus on Aug. 31 to adjust its speed and trajectory on its way to the Jupiter system.

BASILISK is the first esports organization dedicated to promoting science. With some of the best gamers in the world on its team, BASILISK aims to inspire a passion for science among new audiences. Kyle Hill, head of science education and outreach for the team, joined this week’s Planetary Radio to talk about BASILISK’s unique mission and their new partnership with The Planetary Society and Caltech. Pictured: BASILISK team member Serral won the 2025 World Championship in Starcraft II. Image credit: BASILISK.

Sarah Al-Ahmed and Bruce Betts believe you can learn from playing video games. Two of The Planetary Society’s experts will join the PBS SoCal YouTube show “Won’t You Be My Gamer?” for a live-streamed gaming session while answering space science questions. Tune in at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sept. 3 to watch the live video.

Talking Mars science in Washington, D.C. Last week, The Planetary Society hosted a Mars exploration briefing on Capitol Hill. The discussion covered Mars exploration, how missions coordinate with one another, how NASA works with international partners, and how science itself drives new discoveries. We’re working every day to ensure policy experts understand why Mars exploration and space science deserve continued support.

Meet Dave Doody. In his over 40 years at the Jet Propulsion Lab, this celebrated engineer and designer has been a key contributor to the success of spacecraft, including Voyager, Magellan, and Cassini. He's now part of the Europa Clipper mission that will arrive at Jupiter in 2030. Dave joined a live Q&A in The Planetary Society’s online member community as part of our Planetary People interview series. You can watch a recording of the discussion here.

Next week in the Planetary Society book club: “Space Craze.” On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Margaret Weitekamp, curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, will join Planetary Society book club members for a discussion of her book, "Space Craze," which looks at how spaceflight has permeated American culture over the decades. Planetary Society members can join the live virtual Q&A in the member community. Not yet a member? Join today.

Tune into the 2025 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium. This annual event showcases the ideas supported by NASA’s most forward-thinking program, which funds projects that push the boundaries of space science and technology. Planetary Radio’s Sarah Al-Ahmed will be hosting this year’s NIAC Symposium webcast, which you can watch live Sept. 9-11.