Planetary Science Institute

During the week of April 20, Planetary Science Institute members participated in various events in Washington, D.C. to garner Congressional support for space sciences. On Monday, they joined the more than 130 space advocates at ... Read More

Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, a Planetary Science Institute senior scientist since 2010, died on April 11 after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. Her career spanned nearly 50 years, during which she authored more than 300 journal ... Read More

While sorting through images of objects in our galaxy, citizen scientists identified thousands of mysterious objects that have come to be known as “yellowballs.” The images containing yellowballs were then compiled into a catalog by a ... Read More

The Artemis II crew spotted Pierazzo Crater on day five of their round-trip around the Moon, commenting on the brightness of the far side rayed crater, named after our late Planetary Science Institute colleague, Elisabetta “Betty” Pierazzo (1963-2011). The sighting was noted today, just before the crew began their lunar flyby activities. Throughout the mission, NASA has been sharing flight highli…

March 27, 2026, TUCSON, Ariz. – NASA has selected 10 participating scientists to help shape a science plan for astronauts to complete on the lunar surface under the Artemis program, and three of them are Senior Scientists from the Planetary Science Institute: Jamie Molaro, Hanna Sizemore, and Catherine Weitz. The participating scientists will join the first Artemis lunar surface science team, led…

Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist James Lyons studies isotopes – atoms of the same name and chemical properties but with variations in mass – from Earth, Mars, the Sun, the Solar nebula and protoplanetary disks. You could call him an “isotope chaser.” Now, he’s focused his attention on Venus. Specifically, the four isotopes of sulfur in the atmosphere. Lyons is the sole author on a pap…

- What: The opening of the William K. Hartmann Art Collection, and interview opportunities with: - William Hartmann, PSI co-founder, senior scientist emeritus and space artist - Amanda Hendrix, PSI director - Jamie Molaro, the PSI senior scientist leading the collection curation - When: Members of the media are invited to visit any time 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2026. - Please note: …

Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, was the Tucson Festival of Books, an annual celebration of literature that attracts more than 100,00 visitors. Nestled within the sea of white tents on the green grass of the University of Arizona mall, was Science City, a subsection of the festival dedicated to STEM literacy. The Planetary Science Institute staffed a booth in Science City to engage with the Tucs…

The Planetary Science Institute has received two gifts from generous donors totaling $100,000. “We are incredibly grateful to these individuals,” said PSI Director Amanda Hendrix. “These donors voiced their support for the scientific pursuit of knowledge and building a buffer against fluctuations in federal funding. We will use these funds to build a solid program for supporting our scientists.” …

Planetary Science Institute members gathered to celebrate Linda Rueger, who served as human resources director for over 15 years and welcomed Adelina Craig, who ascended to the role at the beginning of the calendar year. We gathered in the east wing conference room for catering from Rosa’s Mexican Food Restaurant and cake that read, “The Next Chapter.” Rueger was hired in 2009 when PSI grew to 50…

Feb. 16, 2026, TUCSON, Ariz. – In the eastern Utah desert, carbon-dioxide-saturated water bubbles, sprays and foams from the ground. These cold-water geysers, sometimes called ‘soda pop geysers,’ are a new and reliable Earth-based analog for scientists studying plume eruptions of ocean worlds in the outer Solar System, according to new research led by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist …

The Planetary Science Institute is pleased to have recently welcomed four new members to its Board of Trustees. “We are thrilled to welcome our new board members,” said PSI Director and CEO Amanda Hendrix. “The varied expertise and experience that they bring is exceptional. I am so pleased to be working with this group. To share ideas with and gain insights from them is a treat and honor.” Lora K…

Larry Lebofsky, a Planetary Science Institute senior education and communication specialist, and Rob Lorenz of the Vatican Observatory, recently participated in Mesa Verde Elementary School’s family science night. Over 200 students and their family members attended. PSI participates in family science nights often. Last year alone, Lebofsky attended 15, often accompanied by PSI Senior Scientist an…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used LED lights to create this rare nighttime view of the Red Planet’s surface on Dec. 6, 2025. The LED lights are part of the Mars Hand Lens Imager, or MAHLI, a camera on ... Read More

Planetary Science Institute’s Samuel Courville recently earned the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Study of the Earth’s Deep Interior (SEDI) Section Graduate Research Award. Courville completed his doctoral degree in 2025 at Arizona State University, where ... Read More

This story was written by PSI Senior Scientist and Senior Education and Communication Specialist Pamela Gay, the citizen scientist site developer for the project described below.  As humanity prepares for a future that carries humans ... Read More

What a year 2025 has been! After being a senior scientist at PSI for 12 years, I started as Deputy Director at PSI in January of 2025 and then began my term as PSI Director ... Read More

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE camera recently snapped its 100,000th image of the Red Planet, and Planetary Science Institute scientists and intern chose the target which later became the milestone image. Short for High-Resolution Imaging ... Read More

The winners of the 2026 Betty Pierazzo International Student Travel Award, established by the Planetary Science Institute have been selected. The Pierazzo International Student Travel Award was begun by PSI in memory of Senior Scientist ... Read More

On Friday, Dec. 12, the Planetary Science Institute celebrated the end of the year with the annual holiday party! Office Manager Kimberly Foote transformed the west wing conference room and kitchen into a cozy, cheerful ... Read More