Space exploration is hard. That’s why we always have to keep pushing to make it happen. You can make a big difference in ensuring that space exploration missions move forward by joining The Planetary Society’s annual Day of Action, which will take place on April 29 this year. This advocacy event brings members together in Washington, D.C., to meet with their representatives in Congress to speak about the importance of investing in NASA’s exploration programs. Registration for the 2024 Day of Action is now open. Pictured: Members heading to meetings on Capitol Hill in the 2023 Day of Action. Image credit: The Planetary Society.
Lunar Trailblazer is due to launch this year to investigate water on the Moon. Planetary Society President Bethany Ehlmann, who is the NASA mission’s principal investigator, will be speaking about the mission at Caltech in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 31 as part of their Watson Lecture Series. If you live in the area, be sure to check out the free event. If not, keep an eye on the lecture series’ YouTube channel for a recording of the event.
JWST has a new lead in the search for life on a mysterious exoplanet. The space telescope recently detected signs of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of K2-18 b. This discovery could reshape our search for life beyond Earth and teach us more about the enigmatic class of exoplanets known as sub-Neptunes. Knicole Colón, the deputy project scientist for exoplanet science for JWST, joins this week’s Planetary Radio to fill us in on the details.
India has been making big strides in space exploration. From its successful Chandrayaan lunar missions and Mars Orbiter Mission to its upcoming plans for human spaceflight, the Indian Space Research Organisation has been doing a lot in recent years. Gurbir Singh, author of “The Indian Space Programme: India’s Incredible Journey from the Third World towards the First,” joins the latest episode of Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition to help us understand the history and motivations behind these achievements and India’s growing ambitions in space.