Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

Psyche mission successfully launches

The spacecraft has begun its six-year journey to the same-name metal world.

How do humans try to communicate with aliens?

SETI is the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, using various techniques to look for signals from advanced alien civilizations. METI (messaging extraterrestrial intelligence) is when we send out our own signals for aliens to find.

The future of Mars Sample Return

An overview of the 2023 Independent Review Board report on the state and future of Mars Sample Return.

Psyche the spacecraft at Psyche the asteroid

The Psyche launch and its journey to a metal world: What to expect

The Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to blast off on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Oct. 13.

The boy who named Bennu is now an aspiring astronaut

The Planetary Society spoke to Mike Puzio, who won our "Name that asteroid!" contest back in 2013.

OSIRIS-REx returns sample from asteroid Bennu to Earth

The sample capsule parachuted to a landing at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range southwest of Salt Lake City.

Cometary sights and sounds

Discover what causes a comet’s color and what it might be like to listen to one whiz by.

Approaching the replica sample return capsule

OSIRIS-REx sample return: What to expect

The spacecraft will drop off its precious samples of asteroid Bennu on Sept. 24, 2023.

See for yourself

See the month’s coolest space pictures, see planets in the night sky, and create the future in space that you want to see.

Storms and showers

Mars has storms of dust, while Saturn pours down ammonia rain. Here on Earth, we passed through a debris tail to get a special kind of shower.

Hasta la vista, baby

Terminators abound this week in space, and we’ll be back to Mars if NASA gets the budget it needs.

That’s a mare

An unusual lunar feature, Saturn’s shining rings, and Mars’ complex gullies.

The U.S. Senate threatens to cancel Mars Sample Return

The House has yet to weigh in. And much can still happen before this threat is realized.

Speedy spacecraft and pretty pics

Take a look at some of our favorite recent space images and learn about an express mission to Mars.

The Space Advocate Newsletter, July 2023

What's going on with Mars Sample Return?

Searching the skies to keep us all alive

Astronomers around the world are working to protect the Earth from asteroid impacts, with the help of Planetary Society members and donors.

What’s going on with Mars Sample Return?

NASA's biggest science project is undergoing an unprecedented second independent review amidst growing cost estimates and daunting technical and managerial challenges.