Planetary Science Institute

08/30/2026

Don't forget - tomorrow is launch day! NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled to launch at 7:26 a.m. EDT (4:26 a.m. PDT).

Roman will survey the universe with a field of view at least 100 times larger than Hubble’s, giving scientists a wide view of space while capturing images with Hubble-like sharpness.

Follow the launch, live tracking, and updates: https://buff.ly/fF8f1g3

SpaceX Falcon Heavy launching from Kennedy Space Center. August 30, 2026

08/27/2026

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is designed to answer some of the biggest questions about our universe. But as it looks deep into space, thousands of objects much closer to home will cross its view.

That's where PSI Senior Scientist Dr. Susan Benecchi, co-lead of Roman’s Solar System and Exoplanet Working Group, comes in. Susan works to ensure planetary scientists can take advantage of those observations, potentially discovering and studying asteroids, Kuiper Belt Objects, and other remnants of our early Solar System.

“No matter where you look, there are going to be small bodies in the way, because they’re moving through the field,” Susan said.

With Roman scheduled to launch Aug. 30, learn how Susan’s work could help us better understand the building blocks of the planets, and why this mission has a special personal connection for her.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch August 30th, is designed to tackle some of the biggest questions in astrophysics, from the

08/27/2026

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating flooding and debris flows in the Himalayas, as well as the rescue crews and communities responding to this unfolding disaster.

This tragedy hits especially close to home for the Planetary Science Institute. PSI Senior Scientist Dr. Jeff Kargel has worked in the Himalayan region for years, and we have colleagues and research partners in the affected area.

Initial scientific assessments indicate that a massive collapse of rock and ice triggered the destructive flow. Events like this are a powerful reminder of why understanding rapidly changing mountain environments matters. Dr. Kargel briefed the Nepali Prime Minister on the science behind what happened.

Scientists don't yet know exactly what triggered the Nepal flood, but they suspect a glacier collapse and suggest climate change also played a role.

08/27/2026

This image is an artistic rendering of Jet S4. It was taken on July 21, 2021 at 1:55 a.m. PDT (4:55 a.m. EDT) as the Juno spacecraft performed its 35th close flyby of Jupiter. At the time the image was taken, the spacecraft was about 32162 miles (51759 kilometers) from the tops of the clouds of the planet at a latitude of -49.15 degrees. Submitted by: raster_master

08/25/2026

PSI in the News: Senior Scientist Norbert Schorghofer talks to Scientific America about China's Chang'e 7 mission to the moon's south pole.

Note: The launch of Chang'e 7 was postponed earlier this week. The China Manned Space Engineering Office shared that the launch, “cannot take place during the planned window this year." https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chinas-change-7-moonshot-will-seek-water-ice-at-the-lunar-south-pole/

The country’s latest mission, Chang’e 7, will be the first ever to land directly at the moon’s south pole. Whatever it finds there could radically reshape a new space race

08/24/2026

PSI’s Isaac Smith has been studying Mars for decades and currently serves as Co-Investigator for SHARAD on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Read more in this week's newsletter! https://buff.ly/sspGfnR

08/21/2026

The latest cover of Science Magazine features an image of Mars taken by the MAHLI camera - a project led by PSI Senior Scientist Dr. Aileen Yingst.

MAHLI, or Mars Hands Lens Imager, is a high-res camera mounted on the Curiosity rover's robotic arm. Since it can take high-quality, up-close photos, it allows scientists to examine Martian rocks and soil at a scale similar to what they would see through a hand lens.

Learn more about MAHLI and Dr. Yingst: https://buff.ly/ggKq3zi

This fist-sized rock on the surface of Mars has been cracked open by the weight of the Curiosity rover driving over it, revealing a yellowish interior of crystalline sulfur.

The rock is part of a deposit of native sulfur, which has been preserved for three billion years. It is interpreted to have been formed by the eruption and solidification of a subsurface sulfur-rich v***r.

Learn more this week in Science: https://scim.ag/4wDBDdQ

08/21/2026

This week's is PSI Director Amanda Hendrix's furbaby, May! Sweet May had to wear her little chapeau as she recovered from an ear infection. Doesn’t look like it dampened her spirits, though!

08/20/2026

Please join us in welcoming Samantha (Sam) Riestenberg as the new Science Communications Manager and Public Information Officer at the Planetary Science Institute!

Sam brings more than a decade of experience in strategic communications, STEM storytelling, and public engagement. Before joining PSI, she supported the National Science Foundation, where she led communications initiatives, directed high-profile events, and helped translate complex scientific research into compelling stories. In her new role, Sam will partner with PSI scientists to share groundbreaking discoveries and help inspire curiosity about planetary science.

Read more: https://buff.ly/OkQ86nh