Rock, ice, and glass

Space Snapshot

This crisp, infrared view of Uranus from JWST includes a newly-discovered moon. The dots around the ringed ice giant are 14 of Uranus' 29 icy moons, including the newly discovered S/2025 U1. See an annotated version of the image that highlights the new member of the Uranian family. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / M. El Moutamid (SWRI) / M. Hedman (University of Idaho).

Fact Worth Sharing

Most planetary bodies in the Solar System are named after mythological figures, but Uranus’ moons break this pattern. This planet’s icy moons are named after figures in the plays of William Shakespeare and a poem by Alexander Pope.

Mission Briefings

Apollo samples are helping predict moonquakes. In preparation for returning astronauts to the Moon, researchers are working to determine the frequency of moonquakes along active faults there. Part of this research involves analyzing rock samples collected in 1972 by Apollo 17 astronauts. Here you can see Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt sampling a boulder believed to have been dislodged by a strong moonquake that occurred about 28.5 million years ago. Image credit: NASA/JSC/ASU.

Psyche captured a distant view of home. The NASA spacecraft was 290 million kilometers (180 million miles) away, en route to the metallic asteroid Psyche, when it turned its cameras toward Earth to capture a view of our home planet and the Moon. The images were captured as part of a periodic science instrument check.

Blue Origin is heading to Mars. The private company’s New Glenn rocket will launch NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars as early as Sept. 29. Blue Origin has also revealed its concept for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, which it hopes could fit into the Trump Administration’s plans for NASA to send humans to Mars.

JWST data suggest TRAPPIST-1 d may not have an atmosphere. This Earth-sized, rocky exoplanet that orbits in its star’s Goldilocks zone has been of interest to astronomers looking for habitability beyond the Solar System. But new research using JWST observations suggests it does not have an Earth-like atmosphere.

From The Planetary Society

China is planning a possible mission to Enceladus. China’s Deep Space Exploration Laboratory and the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering have proposed an orbiter and lander mission to explore Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, aiming to examine its potential habitability. Learn more about the mission and how it fits into China’s planetary science ambitions. Pictured: A view of Enceladus from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Image credit: ASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / Justin Cowart.

The Planetary Society hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). Attendees asked questions directly to top experts in astrophysics and astrobiology, helping to ensure that the U.S. space policy community understands why HWO will be a game-changer in the search for life and why it needs continued support.

The YSES-1 system is an intriguing, unusual place. YSES-1 was the first directly imaged multiplanetary system around a Sun-like star. Kielan Hoch and Emily Rickman from the Space Telescope Science Institute join this week’s Planetary Radio to talk about surprising new observations from JWST of a dusty circumplanetary disk around one of the system’s planets and high-altitude silicate clouds in the atmosphere of another.

Exploring the Overview Effect with Frank White. The latest episode of the new monthly Planetary Radio: Book Club Edition invites you into a conversation with author Frank White, whose book “The Overview Effect” explores the life-changing perspective shift that many astronauts report experiencing after seeing Earth from above.

Next up in the member community: Planetary People with Dave Doody. This event series features people who embody The Planetary Society’s mission. This time, we’re joined by Dave Doody, a longtime JPL engineer who has been a key team member on many planetary science missions, including Cassini and Europa Clipper. He’ll join Planetary Society members in our online member community on Aug. 26 to talk about his work, his perspectives on space exploration, and his longtime involvement with the Society. Not yet a member? Join today.

Space Advocate Update

Though the congressional August recess is in full swing, there's no rest in the campaign to Save NASA Science. The coalition putting together the Oct. 5-6 Day of Action has expanded to include 14 space organizations, including The Planetary Society and new additions: Stand Up For Science, Black in Astro, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. There is much work to be done in the coming months, but this event will be a historic opportunity for the space community to come together. Sign up to join us in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5 and 6, and we’ll train you as an effective space advocate and set up meetings with your elected officials. Join us this October to make a difference in the fight against NASA cuts.

On Capitol Hill, Congressional Republicans have begun issuing stark warnings to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to halt its efforts to turn off missions, cancel grants, and lay off more of the critical space workforce before Congress passes a budget. In July, both the House and Senate proposed budgets that keep NASA funded at currently enacted levels for the next year. House Science Committee Chairman, Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), stated in a recent op-ed that "OMB needs to start rowing in the same direction [as Congress]. We don’t have time for budget games."

We are constantly monitoring the news for developments about the feared "pocket rescissions" and other actions from OMB that threaten the health of the space program. Monitor the Save NASA Science Action Hub for updates and opportunities to be part of the action.

What's Up

In the predawn, look for Mercury low in the east, with super bright Venus above it, and very bright Jupiter above that. Yellowish Saturn rises in the mid-evening in the east. Find out more in our guide to August’s night skies.

Help save space missions. Join today!

If you are not already a member, we need your help. NASA is at a crossroads, and your support is needed today! Funding for space science and exploration is at risk. It needs the support of passionate advocates like you.

NASA is facing major budget cuts for the first time in a decade, and thousands of skilled scientists, engineers, and technicians have already been laid off at NASA centers across the United States. NASA funding must grow, not shrink, if the agency is to succeed in returning to the Moon, exploring the Solar System, and seeking out life beyond Earth.

We must prevent budget cuts. When you become a member of The Planetary Society, you join the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy nonprofit. Will you join us and enable the future of space exploration?

Wow of the Week

Planetary Society member Barb Mueller created this fused glass art depicting the Milky Way galaxy. “Each is done with ground-up glass in different sizes called Frit, and then heated in a kiln to fuse the glass,” explains Mueller. “My love of space photos started when my father worked for the National Science Foundation in the 70's and gave grants to the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. He brought back the most recent photos of space. I was enthralled.” Image credit: Barb Mueller.

Send us your artwork!

We love to feature space artwork in the Downlink. If you create any kind of space-related art, we invite you to send it to us by replying to any Downlink email or writing to [email protected]. Please let us know in your email if you’re a Planetary Society member!