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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

Radio Programs

Moon and Venus Returning to an old friend November 7, 2023

Take Two A second try at a “heavy” asteroid October 2, 2023

Sample Returns Lessons from tiny bits of rock and dirt September 21, 2023

ExoMars The politics of war and space September 17, 2022

More Psyche Heading for a big chunk of metal July 27, 2022

Danger Zone Surviving the danger zone July 15, 2022

Close Neighbors Goldilocks and the three exoplanets June 2, 2022

Troubles in Space Troubling changes during a space flight May 24, 2022

Moon and Planets Adding up the missions to other worlds February 26, 2022

Eyes and Ears Eyes and ears on the solar system January 24, 2022

Warp Drive “Warping” through the universe December 10, 2021

Moon and Jupiter Taking a look at a dangerous planet November 11, 2021

Moon and Venus Paying new calls on the planet Venus October 9, 2021

Mars of the Atlantic An island that’s other-worldly October 7, 2021

Mars in Conjunction Losing contact with Mars October 5, 2021

Moon and Planets Sending packages through the solar system August 20, 2021

Tracking Apophis Tracking a dangerous visitor August 12, 2021

Plum Brook NASA gets a nuclear reactor June 14, 2021

Planning Ahead Looking at future missions of exploration April 30, 2021

Joseph Walker One of America’s first astronauts February 21, 2021

More Moon and Mars A hazardous trip to Mars October 29, 2020

Moon and Mars A strange yet familiar planet October 28, 2020

Separated at Birth Two asteroids with a single parent October 17, 2020

Mars at Opposition IV Finding Mars right here on Earth October 16, 2020

Breakthrough Starshot Paying a call on the neighbors September 30, 2020

Interstellar Probe A trip to interstellar space September 29, 2020

Solar Lens A giant “lens” for imaging planets September 28, 2020

Moon and Jupiter Cold volcanoes on cold worlds August 28, 2020

Heading for Mars IV Busy times for the planet Mars July 17, 2020

Heading for Mars II Keeping Mars germ-free July 15, 2020

Heading for Mars The first steps toward a colony on Mars July 14, 2020

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

Featured Images

psyche meets psyche

Try, Try Again October 2, 2023
artist's concept of mmx spacecraft with mars moons in background

Sampling a Martian Moon August 21, 2023
psyche spacecraft flies past psyche asteroid

Heavy Encounter July 27, 2022
BepiColombo image of Mercury, June 23, 2022

Getting Acquainted June 28, 2022
Valles Marineris

Grander Canyon November 13, 2021
Cassini view of crescent Jupiter and Io

Deadly Duo November 11, 2021
the lucy spacecraft passes a trojan asteroid

Lucy in the Sky (with Asteroids) October 12, 2021
Artist's concept of a Mars base

Hazardous Exploration October 29, 2020
Artistic idea of a planet imaged through a solar gravitational lens

Long-Range Scanner September 28, 2020
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