Planetary Science

Planetary Science

When storms collide on Jupiter

Astronomers have for the first time witnessed two giant storms merging on Jupiter.

Planetary Science

Portrait of Phoebe: Cassini images a large Saturn moon

The Saturn-bound Cassini spacecraft took the first close-up images ever recorded of one of Saturn's oddest moons, Phoebe.

Planetary Science

Rovers in overtime

NASA has extended the missions of the twin Mars rovers by 5 months, through September 2004.

Planetary Science

New moons for Saturn

Astronomers reported the discovery of four new moons orbiting Saturn.

Planetary Science

Threat to Titan mission deepens

If a communications problem between the Huygens probe and its mother craft is not corrected, as much as two-thirds of the data gathered by the probe during its 2004 descent through Titan's atmosphere could be lost.

Planetary Science

Cassini spies storms on Saturn

Closing in on Saturn after a 7-year journey, the Cassini spacecraft has discovered two storms merging on the ringed planet, only the second times that scientists have observed such a phenomenon.

Planetary Science

Martian Methane: Carbon compound hints at life

The presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere spotlights the possibility that there might be primitive life on the Red Planet.

Planetary Science

Signs of Water Flow: Oceans of data point to ancient Martian sea

A robotic rover on Mars has found strong evidence that some rocks near the Martian equator were laid down by a shallow, ancient ocean, indicating one of the most likely places to look for remains of life on the Red Planet.

Planetary Science

Revisiting a forgotten planet

Engineers are readying a NASA spacecraft for a May 11 launch to Mercury, one of the least-explored planets in the solar system.

Planetary Science

Radio link may hamper a Titan probe

A recently discovered communications problem could prevent the Huygens probe from relaying all of its precious data when it parachutes through the cloud-bedecked atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, in 2004.

Planetary Science

A New Flight Plan

President Bush recently unveiled an ambitious plan for a manned mission to Mars, using the moon as a testing area and stepping-stone, but for many planetary scientists the moon is a desirable destination in and of itself.

Planetary Science

Red Planet Makes a Splash: Rover finds gush of evidence for past water

A robotic rover on Mars has gathered what scientists are calling the best evidence to date that liquid water once flowed on the Red Planet.