Space Snapshot

A SpaceX rocket crashed into the Moon on Aug. 5, leaving a mark distinguishable in this pair of images from before and after the collision taken by NASAâs Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Korean Aerospace Research Instituteâs Danuri spacecraft, respectively. The SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage originally launched in 2025 to deliver two landers to the Moon. According to a SpaceX official, a combination of solar activity and gravitational forces later put the rocket on a collision course with the Moon. Rocket stages have hit the Moon before, including several from Saturn V rockets during the Apollo program. Image credit: NASA, KASA, and KARI

Fact Worth Sharing

In 2009, NASA intentionally crashed a probe and a rocketâs upper stage into the Moon as part of the LCROSS mission, which confirmed the presence of water ice near the lunar south pole.

Mission Briefings

A mission to save a NASA observatory has hit a snag. Katalyst Spaceâs LINK spacecraft launched on July 3 to raise the orbit of NASAâs Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is otherwise expected to burn up in Earthâs atmosphere later this year. But last week, Katalyst reported that it had lost partial control of LINK. The company is trying to find a way forward to save LINK and, by extension, Swift, which first launched in 2004. Image credit: Katalyst Space Technologies

The Perseid meteor shower peaks next week. The Perseids are one of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year, and this month, a new Moon should make for ideal viewing conditions. Peak activity is expected the night between Aug. 12-13. Check out our full guide on how to catch the Perseids.

Astronomers have discovered a weird, three-lobed asteroid with a moon. A team of researchers unveiled new observations of the asteroid 44 Nysa that hint it is made up of three chunks connected to one another. If confirmed, Nysa might have ended up like this through a collision or by three separate worlds fusing together.

From The Planetary Society

Help us pause potentially devastating changes to how science gets funded in the U.S. In June, a White House budgeting office proposed a major rewrite to government-funded research that would let political appointees decide which grants get approved regardless of their scientific merit. Now, a bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would put those changes on hold. Join The Planetary Society in advocating for Congress to pass the bill, which would also fund the government through Dec. 11. Image credit: Andy Feliciotti / Adobe

A total solar eclipse is coming to Europe next week. Our eclipse hub will help you prepare with maps, how-to guides, and useful articles available in English, French, Spanish, and German. EmasofÃa GarcÃa, an aerospace engineer from Mexico, joined The Planetary Society to break down useful information in this Spanish-language video.

Astronomers found evidence that a rocky, habitable zone planet has an atmosphere â what next? On this weekâs Planetary Radio, join host Sarah Al-Ahmed for a deep dive with Collin Cherubim, NASA Hubble Fellow at the University of Chicago, into his teamâs recent discovery of an atmosphere around the planet LHS 1140 b. Together, they explore what this milestone could tell us about how rocky worlds fit into the search for life beyond Earth.

A cosmic timekeeper announces support for The Planetary Societyâs mission. Earth Moves, a Norway-based astronomical watch designer, unveiled a series of timepieces that reflect the tides, the Moon, and where the wearer is on Earth. The collaboration is now available for preorder, and every watch sold helps our movement to advance the scientific exploration of space.

What's Up

Super-bright Venus is stunning in the early evening west. In the pre-dawn, Mercury is low in the east, with reddish Mars above it, and yellowish Saturn high in the sky. Find out what to look forward to in our guide to Augustâs night skies.

Help save space missions. Join today!

If you are not already a member, we need your help! Funding for space science is not guaranteed. It requires the voice of passionate advocates like YOU.

NASA funding must grow, not shrink, if the agency is to succeed in returning to the Moon, exploring the Solar System, and seeking out life beyond Earth.

We must prevent future budget cuts. When you become a member of The Planetary Society, you join the worldâs largest and most influential space advocacy nonprofit. Will you join us and support a future full of space exploration?

Wow of the Week

Technicians recently installed this plaque on NASAâs Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is slated for launch on Aug. 30. The plaque features a memorial to Nancy Grace Roman, NASAâs first chief astronomer, as well as a memory card containing the names of over 1 million people from around the world. Image credit: NASA / Jolearra Tshiteya

Send us your artwork!

We love to feature space artwork in the Downlink. If you create any kind of space-related art, we invite you to send it to us by replying to any Downlink email or writing to [email protected]. Please let us know in your email if youâre a Planetary Society member!