HOUSTON—The concept of planetary protection—the prevention of life forms on other planets from infecting Earth and preventing terrestrial life forms from contaminating other worlds—has a long history.

Small bodies in the solar system have preserved information from different eras of the evolution of our solar system, from the composition of the presolar nebula that is preserved in cometary nuclei ...

The Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) monitors progress implementing the planetary protection guidelines associated with priority programs and missions identified in the National Academies ...

With an increasing number of space missions targeting various celestial bodies, including Mars, Europa, and the Moon, the importance of maintaining the integrity of these environments while protecting ...

After overcoming significant obstacles, NASA’s $20 Million Mission to the “God of Chaos” Asteroid is ready for launch. This mission, which targets a potentially hazardous near-Earth object known for ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

Mars, our neighboring red planet, has long been a focal point of fascination for scientists and space enthusiasts alike. While many eagerly await the day when humanity can venture beyond Earth, ...

Astronauts working outside the International Space Station March 19 used an innovative laboratory device to detect how biological material may be spread in space. The experiment is a critical step in ...

Blue Origin rolled out a New Glenn "pathfinder" vehicle to the pad in February for tests ahead of the rocket's first launch. Credit: Blue Origin WASHINGTON — A NASA Mars smallsat mission is slated to ...