China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has efficiently arrived at Kamoʻoalewa. Tianwen-2 will try and hover and snatch samples from the tiny, enigmatic “quasi-satellite” that follows Earth on its journey across the Solar. Area journalist Andrew Jones joins this week’s Planetary Radio to take us contained in the mission, what samples of Kamoʻoalewa may train us about our Photo voltaic System’s historical past, and the place China’s planetary ambitions are focusing on subsequent. Pictured: An artist’s illustration of Kamoʻoalewa. Picture credit score: Addy Graham/College of Arizona.
Tune into some nice upcoming house chats. On Tuesday, June 30, Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed will be part of Twitch streamer Moohoodles for a celebration of Asteroid Day, chatting concerning the science of asteroids and what we have to do to defend Earth from impacts. Later that night, The Planetary Society’s members-only virtual book club will meet for a reside Q&A with writer Scott Solomon about his e-book “Turning into Martian,” which explores the challenges dealing with human settlement of the crimson planet. And if you wish to take a look at an in-person house occasion, registration is now open for the 2026 Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit, happening on July 21, 2026, at Rice College in Houston, Texas. Planetary Society members can use the code TPS for a reduction on registration.
You possibly can converse up for science in the USA. The White Home’s Workplace of Administration and Finances lately proposed a rule change that will basically alter how the U.S. federal authorities manages grants, changing merit-based peer overview with partisan political overview. In the event you reside in the USA, we urge you to share your personal perspective on why this change will harm science. The general public has till July 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET to submit their feedback.
