Reduce Red Tape for the Red Planet, Report Says
Regulations governing the responsible exploration of Mars and other worlds require regular, frequent updates, according to a new NASA review
Stories by Leonard David
Will Future Lunar Bases Be Underground?
Lava tubes on the moon could be crucial sites for human outposts
Science and Sustainability May Clash on the Moon
Lunar ice could be a crucial resource for future explorers. It could also be an astrobiological treasure trove. Can it be used as both?
Huge Meteor Explosion a Wake-Up Call for Planetary Defense
Detonating over the Bering Sea, the blast was as powerful as a nuclear bomb
Farside Politics: The West Eyes Moon Cooperation with China
Scientists and policy makers in the U.S. and Europe are seeking new ways to work with China on its ambitious lunar exploration program
With First-Ever Landing on Moon’s Farside, China Enters “Luna Incognita”
The Chang’e 4 mission could have major effects on earthbound science and politics
Scientists Double Down on Landing Sites for Sample-Collecting Mars Rover
NASA’s Mars 2020 mission could visit two locations where microbial life may once have thrived
Will NASA’s Next Mission to Venus Be a Balloon?
Airships or solar-powered airplanes may be next in line for a return to Earth’s “evil twin”
Would Trump’s “Space Force” Patrol the Moon?
The proposed new military branch could protect the “space commons” in the vicinity of Earth
Paul Spudis, Moon-Exploration Expert, Dies at 66
The planetary scientist was an outspoken advocate of lunar missions as the preferred next steps for human spaceflight
Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt, Water Ice Exists on the Moon
Deposited in perpetually dark craters around the poles, the ice could be a boon for future crewed lunar outposts
As Space Becomes a Busy Place, NASA Bolsters Its Planet-Contamination Police
Lisa Pratt, the space agency’s new planetary protection officer, could soon oversee major shifts in regulations on public- and private-sector space missions
Breezes Could Help Power Landers on Mars
Wind turbines could produce significant amounts of electricity for robots exploring the Red Planet’s surface
Comsat Launch Bolsters China’s Dreams for Landing on the Moon’s Far Side
The Queqiao orbiter will serve as a vital communications relay between the Earth and future lunar landers—and perform some science, too
Should We Open Some Sealed Moon Samples?
Now might be the best time to study unexamined caches of lunar material from the Apollo missions
If We Found Life on Mars, How Would We Know?
Despite decades of Red Planet exploration, the protocols for confirming evidence of life there are still quite hazy
Shooting for the Moon—This Time to Stay
After almost a half-century hiatus, lunar missions are once again becoming the next big thing in space science and exploration
Is the James Webb Space Telescope "Too Big to Fail?"
Backers of NASA’s next great observatory contemplate its worst-case scenarios
How Much Air Pollution Is Produced by Rockets?
With economic activity poised to surge in space, scientists are reexamining how rockets might harm Earth’s atmosphere
NASA’s Next Mars Lander Zooms toward Launch
The InSight mission will take the planet’s temperature—and help prepare for eventual human exploration
