Asteroid Itokawa gives up its secrets
Back in 2005, the first asteroid sample-return mission – Japan’s Hayabusa spacecraft – reached its target, the asteroid Itokawa. In 2010, Hayabusa (Japanese for “peregrine falcon”) …
Paul Scott Anderson
Jupiter’s growing pains, explained
Jupiter is sometimes called the king of the planets in our Solar System, due to its enormous size. It has some 300 times Earth’s mass. …
Mapping new worlds: Researchers release first global maps of Pluto and Charon
When New Horizons sped past Pluto and its moons in July 2015, it revealed some incredible new worlds to explore. They are no longer just …
Read MoreMapping new worlds: Researchers release first global maps of Pluto and Charon
Planet-hunter Kepler keeps going as fuel dwindles
The Kepler Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding of exoplanets, or worlds orbiting other stars. It’s been the most successful planet-hunter by far, so far …
InSight mission launches to study the ‘heart’ of Mars
This past weekend NASA launched its next mission to Mars, but this one will be a little different than the previous ones. Unlike the rovers …
Read MoreInSight mission launches to study the ‘heart’ of Mars