Far beyond the reach of any spacecraft, a distant world glows with heat so intense that rock itself turns to vapor. In that ...

In this chapter we summarize current knowledge of the internal structure of giant planets. We concentrate on the importance of heavy elements and their role in determining the planetary composition ...

Over the next decade, the fields of planetary science and astrobiology will be driven by key questions that can be categorized into four broad themes: the origins of the solar system, understanding ...

A new SwRI-led paper highlights the scientific progress made in understanding the evolution of terrestrial planets, including the effects of late large impacts on pre-existing modes of tectonics. For ...

This letter report reviews the science goals of the current Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) project as well as NASA’s plan for acquiring the necessary precursor knowledge to successfully meet those ...