Space Missions
Our Emissaries Across the Solar System
Earth has launched thousands of spacecraft, but precious few have made it beyond Earth orbit. Currently, 13 spacecraft representing 11 missions are actively gathering science data from planetary destinations. These are MESSENGER at Mercury; Venus Express at Venus; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, GRAIL, and ARTEMIS at the Moon; Odyssey, Mars Express, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and Opportunity at Mars; Dawn at Vesta; and Cassini at Saturn.
Meanwhile, Curiosity is on its way to Mars, Rosetta to a comet, New Horizons to Pluto, and Akatsuki attempting to retry a Venus arrival, while Chang'E 2 and both Voyagers have turned from planetary to heliophysics missions, and IKAROS' condition is unknown. All of these missions follow in the footsteps of dozens of predecessors, the few human-built artifacts ever to have departed Earth.
Recent Mission Status Updates
What's up in the solar system in September 2011
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2011/08/31 05:28 CDT | 0 comments
What's up in the solar system in September 2011
What's up in the solar system in September 2010
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla on 2010/08/30 05:24 CDT | 0 comments
What's up in the solar system in September 2010
Space Mission Timelines
A list of key dates and basic facts on all the missions that have explored Venus.
The missions, both successful and failed, that have flown by, orbited, or landed on the Red Planet and its moons
The spacecraft that have traveled to asteroids, outer planets, comets, and beyond
Cassini’s Tour of the Saturn System
13 years, 250 orbits, and 127 gravity-assist flybys – explore the Saturn system with NASA's Cassini mission.
Space mission artwork, snapshots of construction, launches, and photos of spacecraft in space
Curiosity Knows No Bounds!
Planetfest 2012
Come celebrate the landing of Curiosity on Mars with us on August 5, 2012 in Pasadena, California.
Keep NASA Discoveries Coming!
So much will be lost if we don't fight the proposed budget.
New Website! Images, Insights, Inspirations...
Welcome to Your Place in Space…our new website. Come and explore space with us.
Citizen Science
Harnessing YOUR Enthusiasm to Advance Space. Projects that let volunteers participate in science programs.
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