Award-worthy and record-breaking

The official exoplanet tally has reached 6,000. NASA’s Exoplanet Science Institute has reported that over 6,000 planets in orbit around other stars have now been confirmed. That number is sure to grow quickly, with more than 8,000 additional candidate planets awaiting confirmation. Pictured: An artist’s concept of exoplanets. Image credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

VIPER is back on track to land on the Moon. NASA cancelled the mission in July 2024 when the spacecraft was already fully assembled and beginning its final testing series to qualify for launch. After pushback from space advocates, Congress called for private companies to take over the mission, and this week, NASA announced that Blue Origin will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface in late 2027.

Starship may not be ready to launch Artemis III astronauts to the Moon in 2027. NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel visited SpaceX’s Starbase facility this month and determined that development of the Starship Human Landing System could be years behind schedule. Artemis II is planned to launch astronauts on a trip around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft on a Space Launch System rocket in 2026.

Earth appears to have another quasi-moon. Astronomers at the Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii recently discovered an asteroid, named 2025 PN7, that has been in quasi-orbit around Earth for about 60 years. They expect it will likely remain a quasi-moon for another 60 years.

What is an interstellar object? When comet 3I/ATLAS was spotted in July, it became the third known interstellar object — a visitor from interstellar space passing through our Solar System. Learn more in our guide to interstellar objects and hear more about 3I/ATLAS in an edited interview with one of the leading scientists on that comet and others like it. Pictured: 3I/ATLAS imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image credit: NASA et al.

The upcoming Day of Action is breaking records. With 200 people already registered for our Save NASA Science Day of Action, this special advocacy event will be larger than ever before. Sign up today to join us in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5 and 6 to speak with your representatives in Congress about the importance of funding NASA Science. Anyone with a U.S. address is eligible to participate, and registration is open until Sept. 30.

STEP Grants are advancing space exploration — here’s how. On Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6:00 p.m. EDT, Planetary Society members can join host Mat Kaplan in a live virtual conversation with Chief Scientist Dr. Bruce Betts to hear the latest news about our STEP (Science and Technology Empowered by the Public) Grant program, its history, and the innovative projects members have helped to fund so far.

You can empower the next round of STEP Grant winners! The STEP Grant Program is designed to fund promising and innovative projects. With your support, vital scientific research will be made possible. Please join us in this crucial endeavor by making a gift today and funding the next round of STEP grant winners.