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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Europa Clipper launches on its journey to Jupiter’s icy moon
NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft launched today aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Europa Clipper: A mission backed by advocates
Europa Clipper will soon head for Jupiter's icy, potentially habitable moon. Without the advocacy efforts of The Planetary Society and our members, the mission may never have been possible.
Could Europa Clipper find life?
For a mission that doesn’t aim to find alien life, Europa Clipper may come surprisingly close.
The Europa Clipper launch: What to expect
NASA is preparing to launch its flagship mission to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa. Launching sometime in October 2024 and arriving in 2030, the mission will explore the icy world with a subsurface ocean that scientists think could have conditions favorable to life.
Does Jupiter protect Earth from asteroids and comets?
Jupiter has often been thought to protect the inner Solar System from asteroids and comets, but new research has shown that the giant planet may actually increase the risk of an impact.
Why does Jupiter spin so fast?
The gas giant is the Solar System's largest planet. Here's why it's also the fastest-spinning planet.
What are planets made of?
A look at the compositions of terrestrial planets, gas giants, and ice giants in our Solar System.
The hottest and coldest places in the Solar System
The worlds of our Solar System run the gamut of temperatures. Here are some of the hottest and coldest places we know of.
The best places to search for life in our Solar System
From Earth's neighboring planets to distant moons, these are the best places to look for alien life.
The coolest moons of Jupiter and Saturn you’ve never heard of
Meet the lesser-known moons of our Solar System's gas giants.
What to look forward to in space in 2024
A total solar eclipse and the launch of Europa Clipper are on our list of cosmic events to get excited about this year.
Why the true colors of the planets aren't what you think
Cameras on our space probes act as proxies for our own eyes, but what they see isn't necessarily what our eyes would see.
What are Jupiter’s Galilean moons?
An introduction to Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
China's plans for outer Solar System exploration
A Callisto impactor, a Uranus flyby, and a dedicated ice giant orbiter could be on China’s planetary exploration horizon.
Looking for long waves
Why JWST observes in the infrared.
The scientific truth is out there
The real science of aliens, the policy implications of ET, and new views of worlds beyond our own.
Moon-spying missions and a planetary evil twin
Whether they’re dedicated to it or not, planetary missions can get beautiful and informative glimpses at distant moons. And who’s the evil twin: Venus or Earth?
Juice launches on mission to explore Jupiter's icy moons
The spacecraft will explore Jupiter's moons Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, all three of which may harbor subsurface oceans.
Juice launch and mission preview: What to expect
Juice is ready to launch on a mission to uncover the secrets of Jupiter's icy moons.
What the search for aliens can learn from life on Earth
When searching for extraterrestrial life, we have to base our hunt on what we know about life on our own planet. This may seem limiting, but there's a lot we can learn from the astonishingly diverse lifeforms we have here on Earth.