Featured Story
On June 7, 2021, NASA’s Juno orbiter encountered Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede, the only moon with its own intrinsic internal magnetic field. The encounter at ~1046 kilometers (650 miles) altitude was part of Juno’s extended mission, during which the most distant planetary orbiter will continue its investigation of the solar system’s largest planet through September 2025 (or until […] (read more…)
From the Desk of Lori Glaze
Just before our break for the winter holidays, we said a fond farewell to one of our beloved Planetary Science Division (PSD) missions. With dust build-up on its solar panels, InSight’s power levels had become precipitously low, and the spacecraft communicated with Earth for the final time on December 15, 2022. Although we had been anticipating […] (read more…)
New and Noteworthy
Cambridge University Press, 2022, 452 pp., Hardcover. $79.99. www.cambridge.org Cosmochemistry is a rapidly evolving field of planetary science, and the second edition of this classic text reflects the exciting discoveries made over the past decade from new spacecraft missions. Topics covered include the synthesis of elements in stars, behavior of elements and isotopes in the […] (read
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Springer, 2021, 317 pp., Hardcover. $139.99. www.springer.com Approaching the settlement of our Moon from a practical perspective, this book is well suited for space program planners. It addresses a variety of human factor topics involved in colonizing Earth’s Moon, including history, philosophy, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, politics and policy, sociology, and anthropology. Each chapter identifies […] (read
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IDEA in Action
Inclusion is a core NASA value, as described in the NASA policy statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). Additionally, Strategy 4.1 of “Science 2020-2024: A Vision for Scientific Excellence” states that NASA should “increase the diversity of thought and backgrounds represented across the entire SMD portfolio through a more inclusive environment.” In keeping with […] (read
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The American Astronomical Society (AAS) supports a prize program at the annual meeting of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP): The Beth Brown Memorial Awards. The awards honor the memory of a vigorous and engaged young astronomer who passed away at age 39 from a pulmonary embolism. Beth Brown earned her bachelor’s degree from Howard University […] (read
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