SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION
This month's International Year of Astronomy feature explores how Saturn has been a consistent source of surprises for 400 years.
Read more | Solar System Exploration site
CASSINI MISSION TO SATURN
The mission's extension, which is set to go through September 2017, is named for the Saturnian summer solstice occurring in May 2017.
Cassini-Huygens to Saturn
Studying Saturn and its rings and moons.
› Mission home page
Dawn
Dawn, the first spacecraft ever planned to orbit two different bodies after leaving Earth, will orbit Vesta and Ceres, two of the largest asteroids in the solar system.
› Mission home page
Epoxi
The Epoxi mission recycles the already "in flight" Deep Impact spacecraft to investigate two distinct celestial targets of opportunity.
› Mission overview
Mars Exploration Rovers
Spirit and Opportunity have been exploring Mars since January 2004. Clues found in some rocks indicate liquid water once covered the ground.
› Mission home page
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
This orbiter has the most powerful telescopic camera ever to another planet, plus five other scientific instruments.
› Mission home page
Mars Odyssey
This orbiter studies Mars' surface composition and radiation environment and has instruments to detect water and shallow buried ice.
› Mission home page
Microwave Instrument
on Rosetta Orbiter
This JPL instrument will study gases given off by a comet as the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft orbits the comet. Rendezvous with the comet is scheduled for 2014.
› Rosetta home page
Stardust-NExT
The Stardust-NExT mission recycles the already "in flight" Stardust spacecraft to flyby and investigate comet Tempel 1 in Feb. 2011.
› Mission overview
Voyager
Voyager 1 and 2 flew past Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 1 is now approaching interstellar space.
› Mission home page
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Cassini Probe to Take Photo of Earth From Deep Space
NASA's Cassini spacecraft, now exploring Saturn, will take a picture of our home planet from a distance of hundreds of millions of miles on July 19.
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Mars Water-Ice Clouds Are Key to Odd Thermal Rhythm
Researchers using NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found that temperatures in the Martian atmosphere regularly rise and fall not just once each day, but twice.
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Marks on Martian Dunes May Be Tracks of Dry-Ice Sleds
NASA research indicates hunks of frozen carbon dioxide -- dry ice -- may glide down some Martian sand dunes on cushions of gas similar to miniature hovercraft, plowing furrows as they go. (Jun. 11) |
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Curiosity's Cameras Curiosity is at Point Lake on Mars and will snap pictures to send home. Find out more about the rover's 17 cameras, including why some shoot in color and others others take black-and-white images. |
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Dry Ice Moves on Mars Is frozen carbon dioxide a key to features in some Martian gullies? To find out, scientists grabbed a bag of dry ice and took a road trip. |
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Rover Ready to Switch Gears NASA's Curiosity rover switches to long-distance driving mode as she heads to Mount Sharp. |
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