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NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Resumes Mission Beyond Pluto After Hibernation

NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft Resumes Mission Beyond Pluto After Hibernation

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has been reactivated after a 321-day hibernation period at the edge of the solar system. According to NASA, the spacecraft is in 'good health' and has begun transmitting scientific data again. New Horizons, which launched in 2006, is on a mission to study the boundary where the sun's influence ends and interstellar space begins. The spacecraft is currently about 5.9 billion miles from Earth, making it one of the farthest working spacecraft in the universe. It is on a trajectory toward the heliopause, the outer edge of the sun's influence, where it will collect detailed data with its sensitive instruments.

NASA's Juno Mission Unveils Subsurface Heat Dynamics on Jupiter's Moon Io

NASA's Juno Mission Unveils Subsurface Heat Dynamics on Jupiter's Moon Io

NASA's Juno mission has provided groundbreaking insights into the subsurface heat dynamics of Io, Jupiter's most volcanically active moon. The study, led by researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, utilized the Juno Microwave Radiometer to measure temperatures beneath Io's surface. The findings reveal significant heating within the moon's shallow subsurface, with temperatures rising more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit just a few feet below the surface. This heat is attributed to tidal heating caused by Jupiter's gravitational pull. The study suggests two possible explanations for the heat: a steady rise through a conductive crust or cooling lava flows capped by solidified crust. These observations were made during Juno's close flybys of Io in late 2023 and early 2024.

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 spacecraft are still operational and transmitting data from 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 probes to use gravitational assists to extend their journey. Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018, marking their entry into interstellar space. Despite the challenges of operating aging technology, the mission continues with reduced power, focusing on maintaining communication and collecting valuable scientific data.

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 Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Speed Boost

NASA's Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Speed Boost

NASA's Psyche spacecraft recently completed a gravity assist maneuver using Mars, which occurred from May 2 to May 15, 2026. This maneuver involved the spacecraft flying by Mars to gain additional speed and adjust its trajectory slightly. The approach allowed the spacecraft to capture images of Mars as a crescent, due to the high phase angle of approach, with sunlight reflecting off the planet's surface. This gravity assist is a critical step in the mission's journey to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which the spacecraft is expected to reach in 2029. The flyby also served as a preparatory exercise for the scientific observations that will be conducted upon arrival at the asteroid.

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 Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Asteroid Exploration

NASA's Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Asteroid Exploration

NASA's Psyche spacecraft recently performed a gravity assist maneuver using Mars to gain speed and adjust its trajectory towards the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which it is set to explore in 2029. The maneuver, conducted on May 15, 2026, involved the spacecraft flying by Mars and using the planet's gravity to increase its velocity. This operation is a critical step in the mission, allowing the spacecraft to reach its target efficiently.

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Images En Route to Asteroid

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Images En Route to Asteroid

NASA has released a captivating video showcasing images captured by the Psyche spacecraft during its flyby of Mars in May 2026. The spacecraft, on a mission to study the asteroid Psyche located in the main asteroid belt, used Mars' gravitational pull to adjust its trajectory and conserve fuel. The flyby provided an opportunity to test Psyche's scientific instruments, including a multispectral imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. These instruments successfully captured detailed views of Mars' surface, including craters and the south polar ice cap, while also measuring the planet's magnetic field and surface composition.

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.

Comet Tempel 2's Dust Trail Observed as It Approaches Perihelion

Comet Tempel 2's Dust Trail Observed as It Approaches Perihelion

Comet 10P/Tempel 2 has been observed with a distinct needle-thin dust trail as it crosses the constellation Capricornus, heading towards its perihelion on August 2. This dust trail, unlike a traditional comet tail, is composed of particles that have accumulated in the comet's orbit over time. Such features were first detected in the solar system in 1983 by NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), with Tempel 2 being one of the first comets to exhibit this phenomenon. The recent observations were made using an 11-inch f/2.2 astrograph, capturing one hour of exposure in LRGB filters.

New Planet Discovered Around Beta Pictoris After Decade of Hiding

New Planet Discovered Around Beta Pictoris After Decade of Hiding

Astronomers have discovered a faint planet orbiting the young star Beta Pictoris, after more than a decade of being hidden. Two independent teams, using different telescopes, detected the cold gas giant, which is the dimmest planet ever directly imaged from Earth. The planet, slightly larger than Jupiter, takes 91 years to orbit its star. This discovery was made possible by NASA's Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026: Advancing Planetary Science and Exploration

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026: Advancing Planetary Science and Exploration

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is hosting the 2026 Exploration Science Forum at the NASA Ames Research Center. This annual event gathers experts from the planetary science and human exploration communities to discuss recent research, mission outcomes, and future exploration opportunities. The forum features three days of talks, presentations, and interactive sessions focusing on the Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, and the Moons of Mars. Participants can attend virtually, with live streaming available for plenary sessions and other talks.