Planetary Science

Planetary Science News

Space news: Tiny moon explorers, a debate about the expanding universe, and more
06-23-2026
NPR — In this space news roundup, Berly McCoy and Regina Barber of NPR's Short Wave talk about tiny autonomous "transformers" that can explore the moon, a debate about the expanding universe, and more. EAPS's Roger Wiens was interviewed in this podcast.

Lunar Magma Ocean Hypothesis May Get First Direct Test at Artemis IV South Pole Landing Site
06-23-2026
Tech Times — A pair of peer-reviewed studies announced today by researchers at Southwest Research Institute reveal that the Moon's largest and oldest impact crater was carved by a protoplanet-sized object striking from the north — and that the collision scattered deep lunar mantle rock precisely where NASA plans to land the first Artemis astronauts in 2028. EAPS Research Scientist Shigeru Wakita was quoted in the article.

Dinosaur-killing asteroid may have helped create a long-lived underground home for life
06-10-2026
The asteroid that ended the age of dinosaurs also created something unexpected deep beneath the surface. A warm, water-rich environment that may have lasted for millions of years and could offer clues about where life might arise on Earth and other planets. EAPS's Marissa Tremblay was a part of the research team.

Perseverance rover finds strange rocks on Mars
06-09-2026
The Oklahoman — Perhaps you have seen videos or pictures of rocks very carefully stacked as an artistic work. They may even look impossibly balanced. Or you may have seen so-called balancing rocks, with one huge boulder precariously sitting on a tiny point on top of another large boulder. These terrestrial balancing boulders weren’t created by humans, but rather by wind and water erosion. Athanasios Klidaras, a PhD student in planetary science at Purdue University, was quoted in the article.

NASA declares MAVEN, its Mars atmosphere orbiter, dead
06-08-2026
ScienceNews — A veteran spacecraft has sniffed the Martian atmosphere for the last time. More than a decade after the MAVEN orbiter arrived at Mars and six months after it unexpectedly went quiet, NASA has officially declared the mission over. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

Meteorite collection gives Purdue students a hands-on path to planetary science
05-28-2026
Undergraduate EAPS researchers Trent Sample, Benjamin Kenworthy and Brianna Petruccelli are studying meteorite samples from a collection on loan to EAPS from Purdue alumni and donors Paul and Florence Stahura. The students are learning how planetary scientists classify meteorites and use them to better understand the earliest history of the solar system.

Moon's largest scar may put its deepest secrets within reach of Artemis astronauts
05-26-2026
Billions of years ago, something enormous slammed into the far side of the Moon and left behind a scar so large it stretches more than 1,200 miles across the lunar surface. That ancient feature, known as the South Pole-Aitken basin, is the oldest and largest known impact basin on the Moon. It also may hold some of the best clues to what lies deep inside Earth's nearest neighbor.

Purdue planetary scientist Ali Bramson wins 2026 Urey Prize
05-12-2026
Ali Bramson, assistant professor in Purdue University's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, has been named a winner of the 2026 Harold C. Urey Prize (“Urey Prize”) from the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences.

Rubies and opals on Mars? The real treasure in the planet’s gemstones may not be what you think
05-12-2026
Scientific American — NASA’s Mars rovers have found traces of minerals akin to those that make up precious gems on Earth. But their appearance and abundance on Mars is likely very different, experts say. EAPS's Candace Bedford was a co-author of the study.

Where did our Moon come from?
04-23-2026
NPR — EAPS assistant professors Kelsey Prissel and Tabb Prissel were recently featured on NPR’s Short Wave podcast, discussing how the Moon formed and why lunar exploration and sample-return science matter. It’s a fun listen for everyone and a great example of how Purdue scientists are helping bring planetary science to the public.

Discovery from NASA's Perseverance rover adds new evidence that early Mars had the chemistry needed for life
04-22-2026
A Purdue University-led study of rocks on Mars is giving scientists a new look at whether the red planet once had the right chemical conditions for life.

‘Bathtub ring’ offers new evidence for Mars ocean billions of years ago
04-21-2026
CNN — Mars may have once had an ocean so vast that it covered one-third of the planet before evaporating billions of years ago and leaving behind a telltale sign: a flat band of land, outlining the former ocean — similar to the ring left behind in a drained bathtub. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

Frozen ocean world found lurking between Mars and Jupiter
04-13-2026
Brighter Side — Scientists argue that Ceres may be far icier than many scientists had come to accept, with an outer crust made not of mostly dry rock but of dirty ice. EAPS's Ian Pamerleau, a PhD student in Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, and assistant professor Mike Sori led the work.

NASA Aims to Launch the World’s First Planet-Hopping Spacecraft Powered by Nuclear Fission
03-30-2026
Smithsonian Magazine — On March 24, NASA announced that it wants to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars by the end of 2028. If successful, it would be the first probe to use nuclear propulsion to travel beyond Earth’s orbit. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

NASA plans to send 3 helicopters to Mars in 2028
03-30-2026
Geekspin — NASA is gearing up for one of its boldest Mars missions yet, and it’s not just about landing on the Red Planet. In 2028, the agency plans to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft carrying not one, but three helicopters designed to take exploration to new heights. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

Primordial Impact May Explain Why the Moon Is Asymmetrical
03-16-2026
EOS — Analysis of surface samples from the Chang’e-6 mission suggests that an asteroid may have vaporized parts of the lunar mantle, suppressing volcanic activity on the farside of the Moon. EAPS Assistant Professor Kelsey Prissel was interviewed for this article.

Mars sand ridge preserves record of powerful ancient winds
03-02-2026
A 6.5-foot-high sand ridge on Mars has emerged as one of the clearest signs that powerful, steady winds once shaped the planet’s surface for long stretches of time. EAPS PhD student Noah Martin documented how the crest lines trace a prolonged north-south airflow across the region.

As Earth slowed its spin, oceans may have tipped the balance for life
02-16-2026
Earth has not always rotated at the same speed it does today. Over the roughly 4 billion years that life has existed on the planet, Earth's rotation has gradually slowed, lengthening days and quietly reshaping the oceans. New research from Purdue University suggests that this planetary slowdown may have played an important role in making Earth's oceans more hospitable for life

Purdue grad plays major role in NASA’s Artemis II mission
02-13-2026
FOX59/CBS4 — The historic Artemis II launch has been postponed to March following technical difficulties identified during a wet dress rehearsal on Feb. 6, including operational issues from the bitter cold and a hydrogen leak in the Space Launch System (SLS) Rocket. EAPS's Briony Horgan was interviewed for this article.

Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue
01-16-2026
The 2nd annual Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue Symposium, hosted by the College of Science, will bring together leaders from inside and outside Purdue to discuss opportunities for universities to work with industry partners to make the next giant leap in robotic and human space exploration.

Mars Perseverance rover found a rock that could be a giant meteorite
01-08-2026
Earth — NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted a desk-sized rock, nicknamed Phippsaksla, on Mars that looks suspiciously like an iron-rich meteorite. EAPS's Candice Bedford was cited in the article.

Perseverance continues science mission amid uncertainty about Mars Sample Return
01-06-2026
SpaceNews — NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is continuing its mission to collect samples despite uncertainty about how, when or even if those samples will be returned to Earth. At a press briefing during the Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) here Dec. 17, project officials said the rover, which landed in Jezero Crater nearly five years ago, is in good condition as it ascends out of the crater. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

Mars rover: New clues about the ancient atmosphere
01-06-2026
AP — Briony Horgan is a professor of planetary science at Purdue University and a tactical science lead on NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover mission. Horgan is among the authors of the important study "Carbonated ultramafic rocks in Jezero crater, Mars," released in the journal Science.

NASA will soon find out if the Perseverance rover can really persevere on Mars
12-19-2025
Ars Technica — When the Perseverance rover arrived on Mars nearly five years ago, NASA officials thought the next American lander to take aim on the red planet would be taking shape by now. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.