NASA JPL

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory advances science and discovery through NASA robotic missions exploring Earth, the solar system, and the universe.

[NASA Solar System @NASASolarSystem]

Floor it!

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft has fired up its thrusters and is accelerating to the metal-rich asteroid of the same name. Learn more about Psyche’s solar-powered propulsion system, which uses electromagnetic fields to steadily deliver thrust: https://t.co/MifXRy1npL

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

The Orionid meteor shower, created by tiny pieces of debris from Halley's Comet, peaks on the night of Oct. 21 - 22. Your best chance to see them comes a few hours before dawn, after the bright Moon sets. Find a dark location, give your eyes time to adjust, and look up.

[NASA Mars @NASAMars]

Still making tracks and doing science!

Since breaking the all-time off-world driving distance record on Oct. 11, Perseverance has continued work on the Red Planet.  ½

[NASA Earth @NASAEarth]

Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier could contribute more to sea level rise by the end of the century than some previous estimates.

@NASAJPL helped develop a model that better accounts for seawater moving beneath the ice, improving simulations of the glacier’s retreat.

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

See more stargazing tips for the coming weeks ✨
https://t.co/rzHHvarQN5

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

The Orionid meteor shower, created by tiny pieces of debris from Halley's Comet, peaks on the night of Oct. 21 - 22. Your best chance to see them comes a few hours before dawn, after the bright Moon sets. Find a dark location, give your eyes time to adjust, and look up.

[NASA Solar System @NASASolarSystem]

Checking in with two deep space explorers. 🚀🛰️

Our Psyche mission to a metal-rich asteroid launched 3 years ago today, and tomorrow marks 2 years since Europa Clipper set sail for Jupiter's ocean moon Europa.

(The same rocket side boosters were used for both launches!) 1/3

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

The tests simulated the extreme temperatures and vacuum of space, as well as the intense shaking of launch. Results show that @voyagertech_’s Griffin Mission One is ready to survive the rigors of space. See how JPL’s Environmental Test Laboratory works: https://t.co/JDPNgrYOCA

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

Shaken, spun, baked, and blasted!

A commercial lander that will be at the forefront of establishing @NASAMoonBase, humanity’s first lunar outpost, has passed a series of critical tests at JPL. 1/2

[NASA Mars @NASAMars]

Perseverance has set a new off-world record! 🏅

On Oct. 11, the rover's odometer hit 28.10 miles (45.22 kilometers), eclipsing the distance record set by NASA's Opportunity rover. 1/2

[NASA Universe @NASAUniverse]

Our planet-hunting TESS mission has reached an exciting milestone: over 1,000 of the exoplanet candidates it has discovered since its 2018 launch have been confirmed!

Let’s explore some of these intriguing worlds beyond our solar system … 🧵

[NASA Mars @NASAMars]

A journey to the depths of ancient Mars?

Perseverance is exploring a field of light-toned rocks, which are an unusual sight on Mars, a planet dominated by dark-colored basaltic stones. This piqued the team’s interest. What are they? How did they get here?  ½

[NASA @NASA]

Artemis II update! We just dropped 814GB of observations — including nearly 1,000 new images and 521 minutes of crew audio — in our Artemis II Preliminary Lunar Science Report: https://t.co/qHFSHiJUza

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

Our @NASAJPL team brought a preview of Mars exploration to Huntington Beach with their SkyFall demo.

Building on Ingenuity, SkyFall will deploy three helicopters in midair to Mars and use ground penetrating radar to search for subsurface ice. In addition to other scientific instruments, this effort will show how we could potentially identify landing sites for future Mars missions. 

Fission powered spacecraft and helicopters exploring another planet to help prepare for Americans to follow. Hard not to get excited about this mission.

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

Meanwhile on Mars...

[NASA Mars @NASAMars]

📍Gale Crater, Aug. 11, 2026, 8:30 a.m. local Mars time.

The Curiosity rover captures the Sun rising on crags known as yardangs, a scene that scientists have long been waiting to see up close. 1/2

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

See more October skywatching tips in our monthly What’s Up video guide. https://t.co/vFSZ6pxXFm

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

Early risers, you deserve something beautiful. 🌘

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, catch the thin crescent Moon high in the eastern sky before dawn. Just above the Moon, you’ll see the planet Jupiter. Below the Moon, the bright star Regulus will be shining. 1/2

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

Congratulations, Crew-13!

During several internships at JPL, commander @astro_watkins worked on missions including the near-earth object hunter NEOWISE and Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.

Wishing the entire crew a successful mission.

[NASA @NASA]

Destination: @Space_Station📍

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission has successfully launched! The Dragon spacecraft carrying the crew is set to dock at about 7pm ET (2300 UTC) tonight, kicking off several months of scientific exploration. Watch with us here! https://t.co/AhTPqwgEKV

[Caltech @Caltech]

This morning, NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission successfully launched to the International Space Station, commanded by NASA astronaut and former Caltech postdoc Jessica Watkins.

https://t.co/SplAYpStVV

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

More skywatching tips: https://t.co/rzHHvarQN5

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

What’s up for October? 🪐

See Saturn at opposition, catch the Orionid meteor shower, and watch the Moon pass close to the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters.