Planetary Science

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.

Planetary Science

A view of Mars, European style

Although the Mars lander Beagle 2 is presumed dead, its mother craft, the European Space Agency's Mars Express, has transmitted its first data from a polar orbit about the Red Planet.

Planetary Science

Red Planet Roundup: Opportunity knocks; Spirit revives

The NASA rover Opportunity bounced onto an equatorial Martian plain early on Jan. 25 and found an intriguing outcropping of rocks on the other side of the planet from where its ailing but recovering twin, Spirit, had recently stalled.

Planetary Science

Spirit Gets Its Wheels Dirty: Mars rover begins scientific work

Spirit, the rover that landed on Mars on Jan. 3, last week began studying the rocks and soil at its landing site.

Planetary Science

A Tale of Two Landers: NASA’s Spirit phones home, but Europe’s Beagle 2 remains mum on Mars

NASA's Spirit rover sent its first signals home soon after it touched down on Mars Jan. 3, but European Space Agency scientists haven't yet heard from their Beagle 2 lander, which dropped to the surface of Mars on Dec. 24.

Planetary Science

Journey to Mars

The rugged Mars Exploration Rover (MER) is scheduled to land on Mars on Jan. 4, 2004. A variety of Web sites offer information about the exploration of Mars and Mars rovers. Check out the official MER Web site for background information and up-to-the-minute reports. San Francisco’s Exploratorium Web site highlights various Mars-related activities. Go to: […]

Planetary Science

Lunar finding doesn’t hold water

A new radar study of craters at the moon's north and south poles reveals that neither region contains substantial amounts of frozen water.

Planetary Science

Next Stop, Interstellar Space

Data recorded by the venerable Voyager 1 spacecraft suggest the craft has either recently encountered or will soon enter a key region near the edge of the solar system.