Planetary Missions Program Office
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Solar System
Planetary Missions Programs
NASA is helping humanity answer profound questions about the nature of the solar system and our place in it. How did the solar system form and evolve? What are the hazards to Earth? Is there life out there? These are the questions we seek to answer, as we work to expand the frontiers of knowledge and opportunity in space.
Discovery Program
Established in 1992, this program includes a series of small planetary missions, launching every 36 months, selected and funded by NASA through open, peer-reviewed competition.
New Frontiers Program
Established in 2003, this program is a series of mid-size planetary missions, launching every 60 months. New Frontiers missions take on high-priority goals established by the planetary science community.
Solar System Exploration Program
From small, focused investigations to large, strategic missions of national importance, this program includes our "flagship" missions to answer the most compelling and challenging questions about our solar system.
Lunar Instruments and Payloads
In preparation for sending humans to Mars for the first time, NASA’s Artemis program will send astronauts back to the Moon by 2024. Twelve new science and technology payloads have been selected as part of this program that will help us study the lunar surface.
Latest Planetary Missions Programs News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from NASA's Planetary Missions Programs.
New images taken from space show how dust on and around InSight is changing over time — information that can…
NASA’s DAVINCI probe will be first in the 21st century to brave Venus’ atmosphere as it descends from above the…
From sending crew members to the International Space Station to launching a spacecraft to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to determine…
A new study points to why, and how, Io became the most volcanic body in the solar system. Scientists with…
Scientists find that cometary dust affects interpretation of spacecraft measurements, reopening the case for comets as potential sources of water…
NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the Dragonfly mission, a rotorcraft lander mission under NASA’s New Frontiers…
How did our solar system form and evolve? What are the hazards? Is there life beyond Earth? NASA is exploring our solar system and beyond to answer these age-old questions. We’re launching spacecraft to asteroids, moons and planets beyond Earth. We’re using science to unlock their secrets. And we’re sharing what we learn, freely and openly, for the good of life on Earth. NASA’s Planetary Missions Program brings together three series of robotic exploration missions — Discovery, New Frontiers and Solar System Exploration. The program is part of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate. Find us on Facebook at NASA Planetary Missions Program.
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Planetary Missions Interactive
Right now, NASA spacecraft are exploring the furthest reaches of our solar system to answer age-old questions about life, the universe, and Earth. Join the mission! Try this interactive experience in your browser to learn more:
Learn More about Planetary Missions Interactive