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NASA Announces Solicitation for Planetary Science Enabling Facilities Proposals

NASA Announces Solicitation for Planetary Science Enabling Facilities Proposals

NASA has announced an amendment to its Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2025, specifically regarding the Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (PSEF) program. This amendment, known as ROSES-2025 Amendment 65, indicates that proposals for experimental and analytical research facilities will now be solicited. These facilities are intended to support research within the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The proposals must demonstrate the scientific value and the necessity of the facilities for the research community. The deadline for submissions is set for November 10, 2026. This amendment will be officially posted on NASA's research opportunity homepage and SARA's ROSES blog.

NASA Announces New Opportunity for Planetary Science Enabling Facilities

NASA Announces New Opportunity for Planetary Science Enabling Facilities

NASA has announced a new opportunity under the Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (PSEF) program, as part of the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2025. This initiative invites proposals for experimental and analytical research facilities that will support the Planetary Science Division within NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The program aims to make these facilities available to the research community, emphasizing the need for proposals to clearly demonstrate the scientific value and demand for such facilities. The announcement, made on July 21, 2026, marks a shift from the previous status where this opportunity was not solicited. Proposals are due by November 10, 2026, and do not require a Notice of Intent (NOI) or a Step-1 proposal.

NASA Solicits Proposals for Planetary Science Research Facilities

NASA Solicits Proposals for Planetary Science Research Facilities

NASA has issued a call for proposals under the Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (PSEF) program, as part of the ROSES-2025 initiative. This program seeks to establish experimental and analytical research facilities to support the Planetary Science Division. The announcement, made on July 21, 2026, invites the scientific community to submit proposals that clearly articulate the scientific value and necessity of the proposed facilities. The deadline for submissions is November 10, 2026, and the process does not require a Notice of Intent or a Step-1 proposal. This marks a change from previous plans where this opportunity was not solicited.

NASA's Optical VLBI Project Aims to Map Alien Continents on Exoplanets

NASA's Optical VLBI Project Aims to Map Alien Continents on Exoplanets

NASA's latest project, led by Paul Stankus from Brookhaven Science Associates, aims to map the surface features of Earth-like exoplanets using a new kind of nulling interferometer. This innovative approach, called 'dynamic hierarchical nulling,' will separate star light from planet light, allowing for high-contrast imaging of exoplanets. The project is part of NASA's efforts to enhance our ability to study distant worlds and is aligned with the agency's priorities in exoplanet research.

Viking 1's Search for Martian Life Explored

Viking 1's Search for Martian Life Explored

This article explores the experiments conducted by Viking 1 and their implications for our understanding of life beyond Earth. The Lander's Scienti...

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Mystery Molecule on Pluto and Titan

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Mystery Molecule on Pluto and Titan

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected an unexplained infrared signature on both Pluto and Saturn's moon Titan, suggesting similar chemical processes may be occurring on these two distinct celestial bodies. The discovery, led by Bruno Bézard from the Paris Observatory, indicates the presence of an unknown compound or a family of related compounds. This signature appears at the same infrared wavelength on both worlds, absorbing light identically, which points to a shared chemical process despite the vast differences in their environments. Titan, with its dense atmosphere and methane seas, and Pluto, with its icy surface and thin atmosphere, both exhibit this mysterious feature, which has yet to be identified.

NASA's Voyager Probes Continue to Transmit from Interstellar Space After Nearly 50 Years

NASA's Voyager Probes Continue to Transmit from Interstellar Space After Nearly 50 Years

NASA's Voyager 1 and 2, launched in 1977, were initially designed for a five-year mission to explore Jupiter and Saturn. However, nearly 49 years later, both probes remain operational and continue to transmit data from beyond the heliosphere, marking them as the only human-made objects in interstellar space. The mission, managed by NASA and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has exceeded its original scope due to a rare planetary alignment that allowed the spacecraft to use gravitational assists to extend their journey. Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018, enabling them to measure the interstellar environment directly. Despite the challenges of diminishing power from their radioisotope thermoelectric generators, the mission team has managed to keep the probes operational by shutting down non-essential systems and instruments.

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is hosting the 2026 Exploration Science Forum at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. This annual event, running for three days, brings together experts from the planetary science and human exploration communities to discuss recent research, mission results, and future exploration opportunities. The forum features invited talks, contributed presentations, and interactive poster sessions, with a focus on the Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, and the Moons of Mars. Virtual participants can access the sessions online, allowing for broader engagement with the scientific community.

James Webb Space Telescope Identifies Mystery Molecule on Pluto and Titan

James Webb Space Telescope Identifies Mystery Molecule on Pluto and Titan

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected an unexplained infrared signature on both Pluto and Saturn's moon Titan, suggesting the presence of an unknown compound. This discovery, led by planetary scientist Bruno Bézard from the Paris Observatory, indicates that similar chemical processes may be occurring on these two vastly different celestial bodies. The infrared feature appears at the same wavelength on both Titan and Pluto, absorbing light identically, which points to a potential family of related compounds. The signal was first noticed in Titan's atmosphere in November 2022 and later confirmed on Pluto in May 2023. The exact nature of the compound remains unidentified, but it is speculated to be a type of hydrocarbon, possibly from the allene family, known for strong absorption in the detected range.

NASA's Viking Mission: Reevaluation of Life Detection on Mars

NASA's Viking Mission: Reevaluation of Life Detection on Mars

Fifty years after NASA's Viking 1 mission landed on Mars, chemist Steven Benner suggests that the mission may have overlooked evidence of extant life. Benner argues that the Viking mission's experiments, which initially reported no definitive signs of life, might have been misinterpreted. He claims that the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) used in the mission detected organic materials in Martian soil, but these were dismissed as contaminants. Benner's hypothesis is that the presence of perchlorates in the Martian soil, which destroy organic materials when heated, could have led to false negatives in the experiments. This reevaluation challenges the long-standing belief that Viking found no life on Mars and suggests that microbial life could exist, potentially indicating that life is common on rocky planets.

NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA's Spirit rover, which landed on Mars in January 2004, experienced a failure in its right-front wheel in March 2006. Engineers adapted by driving the rover backwards, using the immobile wheel as an excavation tool. This led to the accidental discovery of bright silica deposits near the volcanic plateau called Home Plate in Gusev Crater. The silica, identified as opaline, suggests ancient hydrothermal activity, possibly from hot springs or steam vents. The discovery required extensive follow-up analysis using various instruments, confirming the presence of silica concentrations up to 90% in some areas.

NASA Identifies Near-Earth Object as Comet, Impacting Planetary Defense Strategies

NASA Identifies Near-Earth Object as Comet, Impacting Planetary Defense Strategies

NASA scientists have reclassified a near-Earth object, previously thought to be an asteroid, as a comet. The object, known as 1998 SH2, was observed to have irregular motion, prompting further investigation. Using optical astrometry and powerful observatories, researchers confirmed that 1998 SH2 exhibits comet-like activity, such as venting gas, which affects its trajectory. This discovery was detailed in a study published in Nature Astronomy. The object had been tracked since 1998, but recent observations during its close approach to Earth in August 2025 provided the necessary data to confirm its cometary nature. The study highlights the importance of continuous tracking of near-Earth objects to accurately assess their nature and potential impact risks.