NASA missions to the rocky inner planets and to the moons of the outer planets are exploring evidence of impacts. A few missions to comets and asteroids are trying to uncover critical evidence about the make-up of the objects that are impacting planets and moons.
MESSENGER
The NASA MESSENGER mission has been returning amazing images and data of Mercury since January 2008. Scientists are using the numbers of craters for various regions to help date how recent the volcanic activity on Mercury occurred.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
This mission is orbiting the Moon and mapping its surface in great detail. The number and ages of craters on the Moon are being used to date the ages of other planets and moons throughout the solar system.
Cassini
This mission orbiting Saturn has been studying its many icy moons, with their varied craters. Mimas is known for its colossal crater, formed in an impact which may have come close to shattering this moon.
