Space Exploration News

This new global geologic map of Mars depicts the most thorough representation of the planet’s surface; colors show distribution of 44 map units; for example, greens represent mainly lowland and basin units; yellow is relatively young impact material; reds and purples are volcanic units; blues are polar units; and earth tones are apron, transition, and highland units. Image credit: Tanaka, K.L. et al.

Scientists Create New Geologic Map of Mars

Sep 26, 2014 by News Staff

A team of researchers led by Dr Kenneth Tanaka of the U.S. Geological Survey has produced a new global geologic map of Mars that records the distribution...

An illustration of water in our Solar System through time from before the formation of the Sun through the creation of the planets. Image credit: Bill Saxton / NSF / AUI / NRAO.

Half of Water on Earth Older than Sun, Scientists Say

Sep 26, 2014 by News Staff

Half of the water on our planet predates the formation of the Sun, according to a groundbreaking study carried out by a team of researchers from the United...

The Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) instrument aboard MAVEN obtained these images just 8 hours after arrival. Image credit: NASA / Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics / University of Colorado.

MAVEN Takes its First Images of Mars

Sep 25, 2014 by News Staff

NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft – the first spacecraft dedicated to exploring the upper atmosphere of Mars – has returned its first pictures...

This image shows an artist concept of NASA's MAVEN spacecraft. Image credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

NASA’s MAVEN Spacecraft Enters Orbit around Mars

Sep 22, 2014 by News Staff

On September 21, 2014, NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft successfully entered the orbit of the Red Planet after completing...

Southern hemisphere of Miranda; projection is orthographic, centered on the south pole; visible from left to right are Elsinore, Inverness, and Arden coronae. Image credit: NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Ted Stryk.

Miranda: Tidal Heating Responsible for Current Appearance of Uranus’ Icy Moon

Sep 20, 2014 by News Staff

Brown University planetary scientists in a new study have found that tidal heating is the main reason responsible for the present appearance of Miranda...

Cell-Like Structure Found within 1.3-Billion-Year-Old Martian Meteorite

Sep 17, 2014 by News Staff

A team of scientists from the United Kingdom and Greece led by Dr Elias Chatzitheodoridis of the National Technical University of Athens has found a mysterious...

Site J, the Rosetta probe’s landing site, is located on the head of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko; the inset shows a close-up of the site. Image credit: ESA / Rosetta / MPS for OSIRIS team MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / SSO / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA.

ESA Researchers Pick Site for Rosetta Probe Landing on 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Sep 15, 2014 by News Staff

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission has picked a location on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko where it aims to land the Rosetta’s lander,...

Colorized map of Triton based on Voyager 2 images. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Lunar & Planetary Institute.

U.S. Planetary Scientist Creates New Map of Triton

Aug 25, 2014 by News Staff

On August 25, 1989, NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft passed within about 40,000 km of Triton, the largest moon of the planet Neptune. In commemoration...

Paleosols found inside Gale Crater on Mars are evidence of habitable environments, but have yielded no conclusive evidence of life. Image credit: Gregory J. Retallack.

U.S. Geologist Discovers Earth-Like Soils on Mars

Aug 22, 2014 by News Staff

Paleosols (ancient fossilized soils) filling the Yellowknife Bay geologic formation within the 3.7-billion-year-old Gale Crater on Mars are strong evidence...

$This view looks across the geyser basin of Enceladus, along fractures spewing water vapor and ice particles into space. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute.$

Scientists Discover 101 Geysers on Enceladus

Jul 29, 2014 by News Staff

A team of U.S. researchers using data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has discovered 101 active geysers erupting on Enceladus, the sixth-largest moon...

Artist's concept of a cryobot in the ocean of Jupiter's moon Europa. Image credit: NASA.

New Study Highlights Importance of Oceans for Exoplanet Habitability

Jul 21, 2014 by News Staff

Oceans are crucial for supporting Earth-like life on extrasolar planets, according to a study published in the journal Astrobiology. Artist’s concept...

Unlike an ordinary daytime photo, this nighttime image of Martian surface shows how warm various surface areas are: brighter tones mean warmer temperatures, which indicate areas with rockier surface materials; darker areas indicate cooler and dustier terrain. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Arizona State University.

Scientists Create Map of Martian Surface Properties

Jul 18, 2014 by News Staff

A group of planetary scientists using data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) onboard NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter has created the most...

There are three types of ultraviolet radiation: UV-A (315-400nm), UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-C (200-280 nm). The increased exposure to UV-B radiation has specific effects on human health, crops, terrestrial ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, and biogeochemical cycles.

Record Level of Solar UV-B Radiation Measured in Bolivian Andes

Jul 9, 2014 by News Staff

A multinational team of researchers led by Dr Nathalie Cabrol of NASA Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute has recorded an unprecedented level of...

Sun’s Coronal Mass Ejection Wave Reaches Voyager 1

Jul 9, 2014 by News Staff

Voyager 1 spacecraft has been hit by a ‘shock wave’ from the Sun as it travels through interstellar space, according to NASA scientists. Voyager 1....

Titan's ice shell, which overlies a very salty ocean, varies in thickness around the moon, suggesting the crust is in the process of becoming rigid. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / University of Arizona / G. Mitri / University of Nantes.

Titan Harbors Very Salty Ocean, Say Scientists

Jul 6, 2014 by News Staff

A detailed analysis of gravity and topography data from Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, provides strong evidence that the ocean inside the moon might...

This artist's concept shows the LDSD test vehicle. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech.

NASA Tests Flying Saucer-Shaped Vehicle for Future Mars Landing

Jun 30, 2014 by News Staff

After several weather delays, engineers from NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator project have successfully tested a flying saucer-shaped spacecraft...

This image is a composite of several images taken during two separate Titan flybys in 2006. The large circular feature near the center of Titan's disk may be the remnant of a very old impact basin. The mountain ranges to the southeast of the circular feature, and the long dark, linear feature to the northwest of the old impact scar may have resulted from tectonic activity on Titan caused by the energy released when the impact occurred. Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

Nitrogen in Atmosphere of Titan Might Pre-Date Saturn, Study Says

Jun 24, 2014 by News Staff

A new study provides strong evidence that the nitrogen in the atmosphere of Titan – the largest of the Saturn’s known 62 moons – originated...

Planetary Scientists Discover Mysterious Geologic Object on Titan

Jun 23, 2014 by News Staff

A team of planetary researchers, led by Jason Hofgartner of Cornell University, has announced the discovery of an anomalous, bright geologic object –...

This false-color mosaic, made from infrared data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, reveals the differences in the composition of surface materials around hydrocarbon lakes at Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Titan is the only other place in the solar system that we know has stable liquid on its surface, though its lakes are made of liquid ethane and methane rather than liquid water. While there is one large lake and a few smaller ones near Titan's south pole, almost all of Titan's lakes appear near the moon's north pole. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona / University of Idaho.

NASA Scientists Recreate Complex Chemistry of Titan’s Atmosphere

Jun 15, 2014 by News Staff

The chemistry of the smoggy atmosphere of the Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has been successfully simulated by NASA researchers in lab experiments. This...