Cosmic Explorer
Explore Our Solar System
Discover the eight planets orbiting our Sun—from the scorching surface of Mercury to the icy winds of Neptune. Each world tells a unique story in our cosmic neighborhood.
Total Planets
8
Known Moons
287+
TerrestrialMercury
The smallest planet and closest to the Sun, with extreme temperature variations.
Diameter
4,879 km
Distance from Sun
57.9 million km
Moons
0
Day Length
58.6 Earth days
Temperature
-173°C to 427°C
Orbit
88 Earth days
Gravity
3.7 m/s²
Atmosphere
Ultra-thin exosphere of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium
Travel Tech
Nuclear-electric transfer stage with adaptive heat shielding to survive perihelion maneuvers.
Habitat Tech
Buried lava-tube habitats using regolith shielding, autonomous sunshades, and aggressive heat rejection.
Mission Intel
Mercury experiences a dramatic 600°C swing between daylight and darkness.
Briefing Facts
- Average distance from the Sun: 57.9 million km
- Has no moons or rings
- Solar day (sunrise to sunrise) lasts 176 Earth days
- Surface is heavily cratered like our Moon
- Magnetic field is about 1% the strength of Earth's
- Water ice hides in permanently shadowed polar craters
- Second-densest planet after Earth
TerrestrialVenus
The hottest planet with a thick toxic atmosphere and retrograde rotation.
Diameter
12,104 km
Distance from Sun
108.2 million km
Moons
0
Day Length
243 Earth days
Temperature
462°C average
Orbit
225 Earth days
Gravity
8.87 m/s²
Atmosphere
96% carbon dioxide with sulfuric-acid clouds
Travel Tech
High-temperature entry capsules delivering autonomous aerostat factories and acid-resistant skimmers.
Habitat Tech
Cloud-city habitats floating near 50 km with sulfuric-acid-proof envelopes and closed-loop life support.
Mission Intel
Venus spins backwards, so the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
Briefing Facts
- Surface pressure is 92 times that of Earth
- Average surface temperature is 462°C
- Rotates retrograde, completing a day in 243 Earth days
- Thick clouds reflect 70% of incoming sunlight
- Has more volcanoes than any other planet
- No moons or rings
- Explored by Soviet Venera landers in the 1970s
TerrestrialEarth
Our home planet, the only known world with life and liquid water on its surface.
Diameter
12,742 km
Distance from Sun
149.6 million km
Moons
1
Day Length
24 hours
Temperature
-88°C to 58°C
Orbit
365.25 Earth days
Gravity
9.81 m/s²
Atmosphere
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, traces of argon and CO₂
Travel Tech
Reusable heavy-lift launchers with precision orbital transfer vehicles for routine Earth access.
Habitat Tech
Mature planetary infrastructure featuring biodomes, ocean habitats, and renewable energy grids.
Mission Intel
Earth is the only world known to host plate tectonics actively recycling its crust.
Briefing Facts
- Axial tilt of 23.5° drives our seasons
- 71% of the surface is covered by water
- Only known planet with life
- Single natural satellite: the Moon
- Global magnetic field shields us from solar wind
- Atmosphere extends roughly 10,000 km into space
- Age is approximately 4.54 billion years
TerrestrialMars
The Red Planet with polar ice caps and the largest volcano in the solar system.
Diameter
6,779 km
Distance from Sun
227.9 million km
Moons
2
Day Length
24.6 hours
Temperature
-87°C to -5°C
Orbit
687 Earth days
Gravity
3.71 m/s²
Atmosphere
Thin blanket of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon and pervasive dust
Travel Tech
Nuclear-thermal propulsion paired with aerocapture heat shields to land heavy payloads safely.
Habitat Tech
Pressurized regolith domes with in-situ resource utilization for water ice mining, fuel production, and breathable air.
Mission Intel
Olympus Mons on Mars towers three times higher than Mount Everest.
Briefing Facts
- Two small moons: Phobos and Deimos
- Axial tilt similar to Earth's at 25°
- Home to Valles Marineris, a canyon 4,000 km long
- Seasonal dust storms can engulf the entire planet
- Evidence of ancient river valleys and lake beds
- Average surface temperature is -63°C
- Polar caps are made of water ice and dry ice
Gas GiantJupiter
The largest planet with a massive storm (Great Red Spot) and a strong magnetic field.
Diameter
139,820 km
Distance from Sun
778.5 million km
Moons
95
Day Length
9.9 hours
Temperature
-108°C average
Orbit
11.9 Earth years
Gravity
24.79 m/s²
Atmosphere
Hydrogen and helium with ammonia and water cloud bands
Travel Tech
Radiation-hardened cryogenic stages leveraging multiple gravity assists for Jovian orbit insertion.
Habitat Tech
Magnetically shielded orbital habitats and floating probes stationed above the upper cloud decks.
Mission Intel
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot has raged for at least 350 years and could swallow Earth whole.
Briefing Facts
- Fast rotation creates strong equatorial bulge
- Has at least 95 confirmed moons, including Europa and Ganymede
- Possesses a faint ring system of dust
- Magnetosphere stretches millions of kilometers
- Radiates more heat than it receives from the Sun
- Core pressure exceeds 70 megabars
- Named after the king of the Roman gods
Gas GiantSaturn
Famous for its spectacular ring system made of ice and rock particles.
Diameter
116,460 km
Distance from Sun
1.4 billion km
Moons
146
Day Length
10.7 hours
Temperature
-138°C average
Orbit
29.5 Earth years
Gravity
10.44 m/s²
Atmosphere
Hydrogen and helium with hints of methane, ammonia, water vapor
Travel Tech
Deep-space ion propulsion with ring-plane crossing shields for safe Saturnian approach.
Habitat Tech
Titan-focused bases using cryogenic-rated materials, methane-to-oxygen refineries, and fusion-backed power.
Mission Intel
Saturn’s rings are likely younger than dinosaurs—perhaps only 100 million years old.
Briefing Facts
- Least dense planet—it would float in water
- Has at least 146 moons, led by Titan and Enceladus
- Rings span up to 175,000 miles but are only 30 feet thick
- Hexagon-shaped jet stream swirls around the north pole
- Year lasts nearly 30 Earth years
- Rotates once every 10.7 hours
- Storms can encircle the entire planet
Ice GiantUranus
An ice giant that rotates on its side with a tilted axis of 98 degrees.
Diameter
50,724 km
Distance from Sun
2.9 billion km
Moons
27
Day Length
17.2 hours
Temperature
-197°C average
Orbit
84 Earth years
Gravity
8.69 m/s²
Atmosphere
Hydrogen, helium, methane giving the planet its cyan hue
Travel Tech
Solar-augmented fission electric propulsion capable of multi-decade cruises and autonomous navigation.
Habitat Tech
Autonomous cloud platforms with superconducting heaters and radiation shelters to withstand -200°C winds.
Mission Intel
Uranus spins on its side—its poles almost point directly at the Sun during summer.
Briefing Facts
- Axial tilt is 98°, causing 21-year-long seasons
- Discovered by William Herschel in 1781
- Has 13 faint rings
- Average temperature is -197°C
- 27 known moons named after Shakespeare and Pope characters
- Completes a rotation every 17.2 hours
- Interior may contain an ocean of superionic water
Ice GiantNeptune
The windiest planet with supersonic winds and a deep blue color from methane.
Diameter
49,244 km
Distance from Sun
4.5 billion km
Moons
16
Day Length
16.1 hours
Temperature
-201°C average
Orbit
164.8 Earth years
Gravity
11.15 m/s²
Atmosphere
Hydrogen, helium, methane with high-altitude icy clouds
Travel Tech
Beamed-power light sails or fusion-boosted ion drives to cover 4.5 billion kilometers.
Habitat Tech
Pressurized aerial labs paired with Triton outposts that tap geothermal plumes for energy.
Mission Intel
Neptune’s jet streams drive supersonic winds faster than 2,000 km/h.
Briefing Facts
- Discovered in 1846 via mathematical prediction
- Has at least 16 moons; Triton orbits retrograde
- Great Dark Spot storms appear and disappear over years
- Completes a rotation in 16 hours
- Emits 2.6 times more heat than it receives
- Average temperature is -201°C
- Faint ring arcs encircle the planet