Planetary Science

Tech

How NASA’s portable atomic clock could revolutionize space travel

An atomic clock designed to enable self-driving spaceships and GPS-like navigation on other planets is about to take a yearlong test flight.

Astronomy

Table salt may be hiding in Europa’s underground sea

Observations of Europa by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the moon’s ice-covered ocean may hold sodium chloride, or common table salt.

Planetary Science

Icy volcanoes on Pluto may have spewed organic-rich water

Planetary scientists found ammonia-rich ice near cracks on Pluto, suggesting the dwarf planet had recent icy volcanoes.

Planetary Science

China’s lunar rover may have found minerals from the moon’s mantle

The Chang’e-4 mission spotted material on the lunar surface that appears to contain bits originating from the moon’s interior.

Planetary Science

Apollo-era moonquakes reveal that the moon may be tectonically active

Moonquakes recorded decades ago suggest the moon is tectonically active. Knowing more about that activity could help scientists identify where to land future spacecraft.

Planetary Science

Water has been found in the dust of an asteroid thought to be bone-dry

Scientists detected water in bits of an asteroid thought to be devoid of the liquid. Such space rocks might have helped create Earth’s oceans.

Astronomy

Skepticism grows over whether the first known exomoon exists

New analyses of the data used to find the first discovered exomoon are reaching conflicting results.

Planetary Science

Pictures confirm Hayabusa2 made a crater in asteroid Ryugu

Hayabusa2’s crater-blasting success, confirmed by an image beamed back from the spacecraft, paves the way to grab subsurface asteroid dust.

Planetary Science

NASA’s Mars InSight lander may have the first recording of a Marsquake

NASA’s InSight mission appears to have detected a Marsquake for the first time.

Planetary Science

Readers ponder Opportunity’s future, animal consciousness and more

Readers had questions about NASA’s Opportunity rover, pollen shapes and more.

Planetary Science

Mercury has a massive solid inner core

The distribution of Mercury’s mass and small stutters in the planet’s spin suggest it has a giant solid inner core.

Planetary Science

A 2014 meteor may have come from another solar system

Scientists have identified a possible interstellar meteor, and think it could be one of millions that have visited Earth over the planet’s history.