Planetary Missions Program Office
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Solar System
Planetary Missions Programs
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 four series of robotic exploration missions — Discovery, New Frontiers, Solar System Exploration, and Lunar Payloads. The program is part of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate.
Discovery Program
Established in 1992, this program includes a series of small planetary missions led by principal investigators, 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. 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 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.
You may never soar under the clouds or over the organic sands of Saturn’s moon Titan, but your name can.…
Having traveled more than 2.2 billion miles since it launched on Oct. 16, 2021, NASA’s Lucy is the first spacecraft…
Description The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor is mounted on an assembly ring during inspections in a…
Description The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission is inspected by a technician at BAE Systems Space…
Development of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission continues as the spacecraft’s largest component gets closer to how it will…
Separated from its protective backshell, NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft autonomously speeds over the sand dunes of Titan. It scans the terrain…
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