The latest space news from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Holidays at JPL

1 Dec 2020 at 8:00am

By Kylie I Casino

The holiday season has always been a jolly time at JPL. Starting as early as 1944, we see comical advertisements for the annual GALCIT Christmas Party. This edition of JPL’s first employee periodical, The GALCIT Ear, called for nominations for ‘a bigger and better Santa Clau...

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JPL Blood Drives

2 Nov 2020 at 8:00am

By Kylie I Casino

JPL has been hosting bi-annual blood drives in conjunction with the Red Cross of America since at least 1951. This image, taken during the drive held 13 April 1955, depicts a JPL nurse drawing blood from a JPL donor. The blood donated during these drives was collected into t...

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Ulysses Anniversary

29 Sep 2020 at 7:00am

By Kylie I Casino

6 October celebrates the 30th anniversary of the launch of Ulysses. Formerly known as the International Solar Polar Mission, Ulysses was the first mission to study the never before examined north and south poles of the Sun. [See more...] CL#20-4339

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Viking Orbiter 2 Anniversary

9 Sep 2020 at 7:00am

By Kylie I Casino

9 September 2020 marks the 45th anniversary of the launch of Viking Orbiter 2. VO-2 played a crucial role in our current understanding of the Martian landscape. [See more...] CL#20-3845

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Mask Training in 1957

13 Aug 2020 at 7:00am

By Julie Cooper

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Remembering Dr. Peter T. Lyman

13 Jul 2020 at 7:00am

By Julie Cooper

This month we remember Dr. Peter T. Lyman, who passed away in May 2020, with a series of photos from his tenure as Deputy Director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. > Read more Read more...

Dear Dawntasmagorias

11 Nov 2018 at 8:00am

By Marc Rayman

Following a successful mission, Dawn mission operations concluded successfully on Oct. 31. (Please note the understated elegance of that sentence.)

After more than 11 years in deep space, after unveiling the two largest uncharted worlds in the inner solar system, after overcomin...

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Dear Dawnniversaries

27 Sep 2018 at 7:00am

By Marc Rayman

Today Dawn is celebrating its 11th anniversary of spaceflight. This is the last dawnniversary the spacecraft will see. The venerable adventurer's mission will end very soon. Indeed, it could happen at any moment. In the meantime, Dawn is making the most of its remaining lifetim... Read more...

Dear Sinceres Readers,

23 Aug 2018 at 3:00am

By Marc Rayman

People have been gazing in wonder and appreciation at the beauty of the night sky throughout the history of our species. The gleaming jewels in the seemingly infinite black of space ignite passions and stir myriad thoughts and feelings, from the trivial to the profound. Many pe...

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Dear Dawnouements,

22 Aug 2018 at 2:00am

By Marc Rayman

A fantastic story of adventure, exploration and discovery is reaching its denouement. In the final phase of its long and productive deep-space mission, Dawn is operating flawlessly in orbit around dwarf planet Ceres.

As described in the previous Dawn Journal, every 27 ho...

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