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Space Exploration

Resources

Ongoing Explorations March 3, 2014

Facts and Figures June 10, 2010

Explorations in 2009 January 7, 2009

Explorations of Minor Bodies July 7, 2008

Explorations of Outer Planets July 7, 2008

Explorations of the Inner Solar System July 7, 2008

Featured Images

Artist's concept of astronauts on Phobos, a moon of Mars

Charged Moon May 13, 2020
Hubble Space Telescope in the cargo bay of space shuttle Atlantis, April 2009

Last Call April 30, 2020
Proposed Mars habitat

Living on Mars December 21, 2019
An artist's concept shows the Dragonfly drone above Titan

Cold Dragonfly September 8, 2019

New Explorers September 3, 2019
Mariner 7 at Mars

Second Arrival August 4, 2019
Galileo view of Europa

Alien Ocean April 22, 2019
Hayabusa 2 on Ryugu; Beresheet heads for the Moon

Space Shots February 22, 2019
Apollo 8 launch and flight crew

Headed for the Moon December 21, 2018
Possible Mars habitat

Staying Safe December 14, 2018
Mars InSight during entry into Mars' atmosphere

Taking the Plunge November 25, 2018

Icy Goodness November 11, 2018
Views of the asteroid Hyabusa from a small robotic lander

Rocky Road October 15, 2018
Views from the Hayabusa 2 mission to Ryugu

Asteroid Hopper October 6, 2018
Artist's concept of the Mars 2020 helicopter

Martian Whirlybird August 22, 2018
Artist's concept of Parker Solar Probe observing the Sun

Hot Destination July 30, 2018
Hyabusa-2 view of asteroid Ryugu, June 24, 2018

Nearly There June 27, 2018

Sniffing Venusian Air October 17, 2017
Enceladus sets behind Saturn

Saying Goodbye September 15, 2017
Cassini flies between Saturn and its rings

Final Act September 13, 2017
Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan poses on the Moon in 1972

Last Walk January 16, 2017
John Glenn, astronaut

Departed Hero December 9, 2016
Before and after views of the landing site of the Schiaparelli probe

Lost and Found October 22, 2016
NASA NEEMO mission

Exotic but Close October 12, 2016
Biosphere 2

A New World September 25, 2016
Galileo view of the asteroid Gaspra

First Look July 30, 2016
Giotto view of Halley's Comet, March 1986

Assault on a Comet March 5, 2016

First Eyes on Mars July 13, 2015
Artist's concept of New Horizons passing by Pluto

First Encounter July 9, 2015

Stepping Out June 3, 2015
The Messenger spacecraft's final image of the surface of Mercury

The End April 30, 2015
Canopus, the second-brightest star in the night sky, from the space station

Stellar Beacon February 24, 2015
India's Mars Orbiter Mission

On Target Again September 24, 2014
Artist's concept of MAVEN orbiting MARS

On Target September 20, 2014
August 6, 2014, view of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko by Rosetta

Getting Closer August 7, 2014
Ranger 7 images of the Moon, July 31, 1964

Success at Last July 31, 2014
Artist's concept of a solar sail

Sailing Along April 3, 2014
Mariner 10 at Mercury

First Encounter March 29, 2014
Artist's concept of a Mars Exploration Rover landing on Mars in 2004

Follow the Bouncing Rover January 4, 2014

Almost Ready November 18, 2013
Artist's concept of MAVEN Mars orbiter

Mars Maven November 17, 2013
Galileo enters Jupiter's atmosphere

Fiery Farewell September 21, 2013
Space-faring spider Arabella spins her first web in orbit, 1973

Spiders in Space July 29, 2013
Artist's concept of Mariner 2 flying past Venus, December 14, 1962

First Encounter December 13, 2012
Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan drives his lunar rover

End of the Road December 10, 2012
A Voyager spacecraft and the cover of a record of Earth sights and sounds

Words From Home August 20, 2012
Skycrane lowers Mars Science Laboratory to the Martian surface

Rube Goldberg Meets Mars August 5, 2012
Artist's concept of Mars Science Laboratory approaching the Red Planet

Final Approach August 3, 2012
Space shuttle Discovery flies above Washington, DC, April 17, 2012

Last Stop April 19, 2012
The Russian Phobos-Grunt Mars mission launches on November 8, 2011

Phobos Flop? November 11, 2011
The moon Phobos floats above Mars

Martian Target November 3, 2011
An aquanaut practices space exploration techniques underwater

Diving into the Future October 17, 2011
Atlantis launches on the final space shuttle mission, July 8, 2011

Last Call July 8, 2011
Launches of Vostok 1, STS-1 (space shuttle Columbia)

Double Date April 12, 2011
MIT professor Dava Newman models a new type of space suit

Dressed for Success (in Space) September 15, 2010

Radio Programs

Moon and Mars A “shocking” moon of Mars May 13, 2020

Robert McCall Illustrating the Space Age December 23, 2019

Moon and Mars Designing for another world December 21, 2019

Fact and Fiction Exploring space in fact and fiction December 17, 2019

Moon and Saturn Buzzing around a chilly moon September 8, 2019

New Explorers Jamming up the space lanes September 3, 2019

Cold Calculations Calculating a path to the Moon July 19, 2019

Staying Safe Staying safe on a trip to the Moon July 18, 2019

Moon and Jupiter Fishing for an alien ocean April 22, 2019

John Houbolt Taking two spacecraft to the Moon April 10, 2019

South Atlantic Anomaly Zapped over the South Atlantic April 4, 2019

Mars and the Pleiades Keeping tabs on a popular planet April 1, 2019

Moon and Regulus Booking a trip to the Moon December 25, 2018

Moon and Mars Getting zapped on the way to Mars December 14, 2018

OSIRIS-REx Snuggling up to an asteroid November 29, 2018

InSight at Mars II A thrilling ride to Mars November 25, 2018

Hangin’ Around Watching the universe from behind Earth October 3, 2018

Neptune III The blue-planet blues September 7, 2018

Moon and Mars Hovering above the surface of Mars August 22, 2018

Probing the Sun Soaring close to the Sun July 30, 2018

Moon and Mars Ambitious plans for the planet Mars July 27, 2018

Martian Grub Growing vegetables on Mars July 25, 2018

Moon and Jupiter Digging into a giant moon July 20, 2018

Moon and Venus The mysteries of the “evening star” May 17, 2018

Moon and Planets Talking to other worlds May 3, 2018

More Canopus A bright star to steer by March 2, 2018

Moon and Regulus Flashes on the dark Moon November 10, 2017

Moon and Venus Dropping in on a neighbor October 17, 2017

Protecting Earth Protecting Earth from space rocks October 12, 2017

End of Cassini The final day of a grand tour September 14, 2017

Langley Research Center A research center turns 100 July 14, 2017

Radio Power Sailing on a “breeze” of radio waves May 24, 2017

More Moon and Venus Leaving the planet Venus alone May 21, 2017

Soyuz 1 A tragedy for the Soviet space program April 24, 2017

Space Heading into space — wherever it may be January 5, 2017

Moon and Jupiter Gassing up for the outer solar system November 23, 2016

Visiting the Neighbors A big trip for a little chip November 11, 2016

Moon and Planets Rafting on a distant moon November 1, 2016

Seas and Caves Exploring exotic worlds on Earth October 12, 2016

Biosphere 2 Stepping into a new world September 25, 2016

OSIRIS-Rex Digging into some leftovers September 6, 2016

Calling Cards Calling cards from planet Earth May 26, 2016

More Moon and Jupiter Gaining weight on another world May 15, 2016

Moon and Mars A familiar yet alien world April 23, 2016

Assault on a Comet A fleet takes aim at a comet March 5, 2016

Mars on Earth Getting ready for Mars February 27, 2016

More Plutonium Powering up trips to deep space February 25, 2016