Skip to main content

LPL Spotlight Stories

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Discovers Sunlight Can Crack Rocks on Asteroid Bennu

The spacecraft of the LPL-led OSIRIS-REx mission has documented the first direct evidence of erosion driven by harsh temperatures between daytime and nighttime. Evidence of thermal fracturing on the asteroid can help scientists learn about the geologic history not only on Bennu, but on other planetary surfaces as well.

Asteroids Bennu and Ryugu May Have Formed Directly From Collision in Space

Scientists from the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 teams have a new theory about why the asteroids Bennu and Ryugu have their signature "spinning-top" shapes.

OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Collection Set for October 20

The new date allows the team more time to assess Bennu's unexpectedly rugged terrain. The event will mark NASA's first-ever asteroid sample collection.

UArizona Cameras Capture Asteroid Close-Up During OSIRIS-REx Rehearsal

The spacecraft of the LPL-led OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission executed a series of maneuvers that brought it within a mere 200 feet of its designated sampling location on the surface of Bennu.

A Martian Mash Up: Meteorites Tell Story of Mars' Water History

LPL researchers probed Martian meteorites to reconstruct Mars’ chaotic history. Their findings suggest that Mars might not have had a global magma ocean.

What Makes Saturn's Upper Atmosphere So Hot

New mapping of the giant planet's upper atmosphere reveals a likely reason why it's so hot.

UArizona-Led Mission to Io Selected as Finalist for NASA Discovery Program

If selected as the winner, the spacecraft mission to Jupiter's volcanic, vibrant moon will determine whether a magma ocean lurks beneath its surface.

X Marks the Spot: NASA Selects Site for Asteroid Sample Collection

The OSIRIS-REx mission team evaluated data from four candidate sites in order to identify site Nightingale as the best option for the sample collection, with site Osprey named as the backup.

Explaining Bennu’s Mysterious Particle Events

NASA's OSIRIS-REx science team has identified three possible explanations for the particles that asteroid Bennu is tossing into space.

First Results from Spacecraft Exploring Sun

The sun is revealing itself in dramatic detail and shedding light on how other stars may form and behave throughout the universe. LPL researchers involved in the mission report exciting findings from the Parker Solar Probe's first close encounters with our very own star.