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News & Features

Follow mission news or learn about exciting new discoveries from NASA centers and research partners.

  • Moon Twins Going Their Own Way

    Moon Twins Going Their Own Way

    Oct. 7, 2011

    NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)-B spacecraft successfully executed its first flight path correction maneuver Wednesday, Oct. 5.

  • Space Observatory Provides Clues to Creation of Earth's Oceans

    Space Observatory Provides Clues to Creation of Earth's Oceans

    Oct. 6, 2011

    Astronomers have found a new cosmic source for the same kind of water that appeared on Earth billions of years ago and created the oceans. The findings may help explain how Earth's surface ended up covered in water.

  • An Unusual Multi-Planet System

    An Unusual Multi-Planet System

    Oct. 5, 2011

    Astronomers have discovered a multi-planet system containing a super-Earth and two Neptune-sized planets. Uniquely, the planets orbit in resonance with each other and around a star similar to the Sun.

  • The Massive Mountains of Vesta

    The Massive Mountains of Vesta

    Oct. 5, 2011

    Dawn has revealed that the southern hemisphere of the astroid Vesta boasts one of the largest mountains in the Solar System.

  • Saturn's Geyser Moon Enceladus Shows off for Cassini

    Saturn's Geyser Moon Enceladus Shows off for Cassini

    Oct. 4, 2011

    NASA's Cassini spacecraft successfully completed its Oct. 1 flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus and its jets of water vapor and ice.

  • Mars Atmosphere is Supersaturated with Water

    Mars Atmosphere is Supersaturated with Water

    Oct. 3, 2011

    A new analysis of data from ESA's Mars Express spacecraft has revealed that the atmosphere of Mars is supersaturated with water vapor. The findings could help astrobiologists determine if Mars once supported habitable environments for life.

  • Dawn Spacecraft Begins New Vesta Mapping Orbit

    Dawn Spacecraft Begins New Vesta Mapping Orbit

    Oct. 3, 2011

    NASA's Dawn spacecraft has completed a gentle spiral into its new science orbit for an even closer view of the giant asteroid Vesta. Dawn began sending science data on Sept. 29 from this new orbit, known as the high altitude mapping orbit (HAMO).

  • Heavy Metal Stars Produce Earth-Like Planets

    Heavy Metal Stars Produce Earth-Like Planets

    Sept. 29, 2011

    Examining the wealth of data from Kepler, astronomers have seen a positive correlation between stellar composition and planetary formation, a correlation that could affect how we search for life in the universe.

  • Doubts Over Fomalhaut b

    Doubts Over Fomalhaut b

    Sept. 28, 2011

    Formalhaut b has been billed as the first exoplanet to be directly imaged in optical wavelengths. Now, it's identity is being questioned. Determining the effectiveness of planet-hunting techniques is important for astrobiologists who are searching for habitable worlds around distant stars.

  • Help NASA Find Life On Mars With MAPPER

    Help NASA Find Life On Mars With MAPPER

    Sept. 27, 2011

    Would you like to participate in NASA's analog research program? Interested in helping scientists pinpoint where to look for signs of life on Mars and elsewhere in the universe? Now you can, with an exciting new citizen science website called MAPPER.