Robotic Space Exploration News
Official Feeds
European Space Agency (ESA)
- Watch online: 'Desert growth' on the Earth from Space programme
- Ariane 5’s second launch of 2012
- ‘The Rocket Man’ greets the ‘Rocket Men’
- Watch the replay: Earth from Space – special edition
- André Kuipers: world ambassador
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- ARD PR brochure "Sora to Sora" No.46
- SHIZUKU/H-IIA F21 Launch Live Broadcast
- SHIZUKU Launch Live broadcast to start at 1:10 a.m. on May 18!
- JAXA PCG (Fifth Session) completed
- JAXA Leaflet [Issuance: 04/2012]
Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos)
Unofficial Feeds
wanderingspace
- Beyond Earth Letterpress Print
- Enceladus in Saturnshine
- Earth
- Titan and Friends
- Best Color Image or Geysers on Enceladus
UnmannedSpaceflight.com
Science Press Feeds
Universe Today
- New Crew Arrives at Space Station
- Meet MIRI, Infrared Camera for Webb Telescope
- Venus Transit — There’s an App for That!
- Asteroid 2012 KA to Buzz Earth on May 17
- The Big Dipper Like You’ve Never Seen It Before!
Space.com
Current Missions
Here’s a quick guide to the top robotic space rangers.
See more
Mercury
MESSENGER
Orbiter
Agency: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) (NASA)
Venus
Akatsuki
Orbiter
Agency: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Venus Express
Orbiter
Agency: European Space Agency (ESA)
Official site | Wikipedia | WolframAlpha
Luna (Earth’s Moon)
Chang’e 2
Orbiter
Agency: China National Space Administration (CNSA)
Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)
Twin orbiters
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
Orbiter
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Official NASA site | Official Goddard site | Wikipedia
Mars
Mars Exploration Rovers
Twin rovers (‘Spirit’ no longer operational; ‘Opportunity’ still going strong)
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Mars Express
Orbiter
Agency: European Space Agency (ESA)
Mars Odyssey
Orbiter
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Orbiter
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Mars Science Laboratory (‘Curiosity’)
Rover en route to Mars (arrives August 2012)
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Asteroids & Comets
Dawn
Multiple asteroid orbiter
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
EPOXI (formerly Deep Impact)
En route to Asteroid 163249 (January 2020 – pending 3rd mission extension approval)
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Rosetta
En route to Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko (arrives May 2014)
Agency: European Space Agency (ESA)
Jupiter
Juno
Orbiter en route to Jupiter (arrives July 2016)
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Saturn
Cassini
Orbiter
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Pluto & Beyond
New Horizons
En route to Pluto (arrives July 2015)
Agency: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) (NASA)
Official site | Wikipedia | WolframAlpha
Voyager
Twin spacecraft en route to interstellar space (after multi-planet tour in 1970s-80s)
Agency: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL / NASA)
Great Places to Help You Fly Further
Spotlight
NASA's Eyes on the Solar System site lets you explore the planets and follow missions in real time and in 3D.
Top Official Sites
Some Quality Unofficial Sites
More Good Sites & Blogs
- Check out the Robot Roundup for individual mission sites
- Martian Vistas
- Astroengine
- The Martian Chronicles
- CICLOPS (Cassini)
- Red Planet Report