Planetary ExplorationPlanetary Exploration
MarinerMariner
Planetary Exploration
The Mariner spacecraft were the first American interplanetary explorers consisting of a series of dissimilar spacecraft designed to survey the terrestrial planets Venus and Mars
Important mission were paired to provide redundancy for costly deep-space flights
Planetary Exploration
The paired missions, 1/2, 3/4, 6/7 and 8/9 were launched approximately one month between pair members
– The solo Mariner missions were 5 and 10
– All were flyby missions except for 8 and 9
Venus explorers 1, 2, 5, 10 (flyby to Mercury)Mars explorers 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9Single missions 5, 10Dual missions 1/2, 3/4, 6/7, 8/9
Planetary Exploration
Mariner spacecraft
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 1
Mariner 1 was the first U.S. interplanetary mission that was to survey Venus survey spacecraft
Launched unsuccessfully on an Atlas - Agena B launcher July 22, 1962
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 2
Mariner 2, the second Venus surveyor, was the first successful interplanetary probe
Launch was on an Atlas Agena B August 27, 1962
Passed 34,762 Km from Venus on 14 December, 1962 during a 109 day flight
Same systems as Mariner 1
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 3 - Mars surveyor
The Mariner-Mars mission objectives were to study surface and atmosphere of Mars, measure the interplanetary space environment and obtain scientific and engineering experience in long-duration flights in space
Mariner 3 was launched on an Atlas Agena D two stage launch system 5 November, 1964
Communications lost since shroud failed to deploy
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 4
The second Mars surveyor, launched on an Atlas Agena D 28 November, 1964
Mars encounter was on 14 July 1965, passing 9844 km from surface
Similar systems as Mariner 3, returning 22 pictures as planned on a 228 day flight
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 5
A modified Mariner 4 spacecraft used in a Venus surveyor mission
Launched 14 June, 1967 on an Atlas Agena D SLV-3
Venus encounter on 19 October, 1967, passing 4,000 Km from Venus on a 127 day flight
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 6
Mariner 6 and 7 were also Mars surveyor mission spacecraft
Mariner 6 was launched on an Atlas Centaur launch on 24 February, 1969
Mars encounter was on 31 July, 1969 passing within 3,100 km of surface
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 7
The same spacecraft and mission as Mariner 6 with launch on 27 March, 1969, and Mars encounter on 5 August 1969
Mariner 8
Mars surveyor launched 8 May, 1971 on an Atlas Centaur, was destroyed on launch due to an instability in flight
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 9
Mars surveyor - orbiter was launched on an Atlas Centaur on 30 May, 1971 with the Mars encounter on 13 November, 1971
The mission included 349 days in Mars orbit and was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 10
Mariner 10 was a unique and important Venus and Mercury surveyor project that was to be the only U.S. spacecraft to encounter Mercury until MESSENGER launched in 2005
Mariner 10 was launched on an Atlas Centaur SLV-3D/D1-A on 3 November, 1973
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 10
Venus encounter was on 5 February, 1974, Mercury encounter was on 29 March, 1974
Mariner 10 was placed in permanent heliocentric orbit 24 March, 1975
First and only spacecraft to explore Mercury (until MESSENGER)
First spacecraft to use gravity assist propulsion (Venus)
First spacecraft to use solar pressure to alter orbit, adding two additional Mercury encounters
PioneerPioneer
Planetary Exploration
The Pioneer spacecraft series, which began with lunar exploration missions, also included the Pioneer Venus spacecraft which flew missions to Venus as an orbiter and multiple descent probes
Atmospheric and surface measurements were make and relayed to Earth through the Orbiter spacecraft
Pioneer missions also included the Jovian mission Pioneers 10 and 11
Planetary Exploration
The early Pioneer series were launched to explore the Earth environment and the Moon, but were all unsuccessful
These early lunar Pioneers included:
Pioneer 0 Pioneer 1 Pioneer 2 Pioneer 3 Pioneer 4 P-2 P-3 P-30 P-31
Planetary Exploration
Pioneer Venus 1
Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an atmospheric probe and an orbiter
Pioneer Venus 1 was an orbiter launched from Atlas Centaur on 20 May, 1978 and arrived 4 December, 1978
Radar images of surface provided the first high resolution data on the Venusian surface, although Earth-based radar mapped very large features including large mountains and the largest valleys
Planetary Exploration
Pioneer Venus 2
The second Pioneer Venus spacecraft, the Multiprobe, was launched on 8 August, 1978, arriving on 9 December, 1978
The multiprobe made measurements of the atmosphere and clouds as it descended through the dense gas atmosphere on 9 December, 1978, then relayed surface values after impact
Planetary Exploration
Pioneer Venus 2
This was the only surface landing on Venus by the U.S.
Of the four probes and transporter bus, one probe survived impact and returned data for 67 minutes
VikingViking
Planetary Exploration
Viking
Viking 1 and 2 were modified Mariner spacecraft used for Mars landers and orbiters; the landers to soft-land on Mars and search for the presence of life
The orbiter was to assist the lander to Mars and relay signal transmissions, to survey selected landing sites, to relay data to Earth and conduct orbital experiments
The lander was to search for possibility of life on surface and determine surface and atmosphere conditions
Planetary Exploration
Viking 1
Orbiter + Lander launched on Titan IIIE-Centaur system on August 20, 1975, arriving on 19 June, 1976
Experiments included: Orbiter Imaging Infrared Thermal
Mapper (IRTM) Orbiter Radio Science Mars Atmospheric
Water Detector (MAWD)
Planetary Exploration
Viking 2
Orbiter + Lander launched September 9, 1975 on same launch system as Viking 1, with arrival on 7 August, 1976
Orbiter spacecraft main structure had to be enlarged and propulsion system thrust increased to allow Mars orbit insertion
Planetary Exploration
Viking Lander biology experiments and results:
1. Pyrolytic (heat) release - Radioactive carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water were added to soil sample to see if metabolism occurred - negative results.
2. Labeled release - Radioactive carbon solutions added to soil samples – negative results
3. Gas exchange - The "chicken soup" experiment that added radioactive nutrients to soil samples – negative results
MagellanMagellan
Planetary Exploration
Magellan
The Magellan spacecraft project was originally called the Venus Radar Mapper since the objective was to image and measure the Venusian surface with a synthetic aperture radar system
Magellan was launched from STS 30 (Atlantis) on May 4, 1989, arriving at Venus on August 10, 1990
Radar mapping began 15 September, 1990 and was terminated October 12, 1994
Planetary Exploration
Magellan’s radar images covered approximately 98% of the Venusian surface that excluded the polar caps
The Magellan spacecraft was sent into the atmosphere of Venus on October 12, 1994 to avoid being a future collisional hazard
Planetary Exploration - MarsPlanetary Exploration - Mars
Past/current missions Launch schedule Objective Notes U.S. Mars Global Surveyor 7 November 1996 Orbiter Success U.S. Mars Pathfinder 4 December 1996 Lander / rover Success U.S. 2001 Mars Odyssey 7 April 2001 Orbiter Success ESA Mars Express 2 June 2003 Orbiter Success U.S. MER-A Spirit 10 June 2003 Rover Success U.S. MER-B Opportunity 7 July 2003 Rover Success U.S. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 12 August 2005 Orbiter Success U.S. Phoenix 4 August 2007 Lander Success U.S. Dawn 27 September 2007 Gravity assist to Vesta
Future missions Launch schedule Objective Russia Phobos-Grunt 2012 Orbiter, lander, sample return China Yinghuo-1 2012 Orbiter U.S. MSL Curiosity 15 September 2011 Rover Finland MetNet 2011–2019 Multi-lander network Canada Northern Light 2012 Lander / rover U.S. MAVEN 2013 Orbiter Part of the Mars Scout Program India Mars mission Between 2013-2015[19] Orbiter U.S. ARES (martian rocketplane) Possibly by 2016 Aircraft Search for life on Mars ESA and U.S. ExoMars 2016 Orbiter, static lander 2018 ESA and U.S. Mars sample return mission Possible
Planetary Exploration - VenusPlanetary Exploration - Venus
Venera 4 - 12 June 1967 - Venus probeVenera 4 - 12 June 1967 - Venus probe Mariner 5 - 14 June 1967 - Venus flybyMariner 5 - 14 June 1967 - Venus flyby Venera 5 - 5 January 1969 - Venus probeVenera 5 - 5 January 1969 - Venus probe Venera 6 - 10 January 1969 - Venus probeVenera 6 - 10 January 1969 - Venus probe Venera 7 - 17 August 1970 - Venus landerVenera 7 - 17 August 1970 - Venus lander Venera 8 - 27 March 1972 - Venus probeVenera 8 - 27 March 1972 - Venus probe Mariner 10 - 4 November 1973 - Venus/Mercury flybysMariner 10 - 4 November 1973 - Venus/Mercury flybys Venera 9 - 8 June 1975 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 9 - 8 June 1975 - Venus orbiter and lander Venera 10 - 14 June 1975 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 10 - 14 June 1975 - Venus orbiter and lander Pioneer Venus 1 - 20 May 1978 - Venus orbiterPioneer Venus 1 - 20 May 1978 - Venus orbiter Pioneer Venus 2 - 8 August 1978 - Venus probesPioneer Venus 2 - 8 August 1978 - Venus probes Venera 11 - 9 September 1978 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 11 - 9 September 1978 - Venus orbiter and lander Venera 12 - 14 September 1978 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 12 - 14 September 1978 - Venus orbiter and lander Venera 13 - 30 October 1981 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 13 - 30 October 1981 - Venus orbiter and lander Venera 14 - 4 November 1981 - Venus orbiter and landerVenera 14 - 4 November 1981 - Venus orbiter and lander Venera 15 - 2 June 1983 - Venus orbiterVenera 15 - 2 June 1983 - Venus orbiter Venera 16 - 7 June 1983 - Venus orbiterVenera 16 - 7 June 1983 - Venus orbiter Vega 1 - 15 December 1984 - Venus flyby and comet Halley flybyVega 1 - 15 December 1984 - Venus flyby and comet Halley flyby Vega 2 - 21 December 1984 - Venus flyby and comet Halley flybyVega 2 - 21 December 1984 - Venus flyby and comet Halley flyby Magellan - 4 May 1989 - Venus orbiterMagellan - 4 May 1989 - Venus orbiter Venus Express - 09 November 2005 - ESA Venus orbiterVenus Express - 09 November 2005 - ESA Venus orbiter Planet-C - 2010 - ISAS Venus orbiterPlanet-C - 2010 - ISAS Venus orbiter
Planetary Exploration - MoonPlanetary Exploration - Moon
Following the U.S. Apollo and Soviet lunar exploration programs that Following the U.S. Apollo and Soviet lunar exploration programs that ended in the 1970s came follow-on international lunar exploration ended in the 1970s came follow-on international lunar exploration missions missions
Japan Hiten - Jan 24, 1990 - Flyby and orbiterJapan Hiten - Jan 24, 1990 - Flyby and orbiter U.S. Clementine - Jan 25, 1994 – Lunar orbiterU.S. Clementine - Jan 25, 1994 – Lunar orbiter U.S. AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - Dec 24, 1997 - Lunar flybyU.S. AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - Dec 24, 1997 - Lunar flyby U.S. Lunar Prospector - Jan 7, 1998 – Lunar orbiterU.S. Lunar Prospector - Jan 7, 1998 – Lunar orbiter ESA SMART 1 - Sep 27, 2003 - Lunar orbiterESA SMART 1 - Sep 27, 2003 - Lunar orbiter Japan Kaguya (SELENE) - Sep 14, 2007 - Lunar orbiterJapan Kaguya (SELENE) - Sep 14, 2007 - Lunar orbiter China Chang'e 1 - Oct 24, 2007 - Lunar orbiterChina Chang'e 1 - Oct 24, 2007 - Lunar orbiter India Chandrayaan-1 - Oct 22, 2008 - Lunar orbiterIndia Chandrayaan-1 - Oct 22, 2008 - Lunar orbiter U.S. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS - June 17, 2009 - U.S. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS - June 17, 2009 -
Lunar orbiter and impactorLunar orbiter and impactor China Chang'e 2 - October 2010 - Lunar orbiterChina Chang'e 2 - October 2010 - Lunar orbiter U.S. Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) - September U.S. Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) - September
2011 - Lunar orbiter2011 - Lunar orbiter U.S. Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) - U.S. Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) -
March 2013 - Lunar orbiterMarch 2013 - Lunar orbiter
Jovian PlanetsJovian Planets
Planetary Exploration
The Pioneer 10 and 11 duo was developed and flown to:Explore the interplanetary Explore the interplanetary medium beyond the orbit of Marsmedium beyond the orbit of Mars
Investigate the nature of the Investigate the nature of the asteroid belt from the scientific asteroid belt from the scientific standpoint and assess the belt's standpoint and assess the belt's possible hazard to missions to the possible hazard to missions to the outer planetsouter planets
Explore the environment of Explore the environment of JupiterJupiter
Planetary Exploration
Jovian planet exploration has been accomplished by American spacecraft almost exclusively, with several international contributions for several spacecraft
Jovian planet exploration began with the Pioneer 10/11 vehicles which were based on the earlier Mariner design
Both pioneer 10 and 11 targeted Jupiter, with Pioneer 11 given a gravity assist on a flyby of Jupiter
Pioneer 10 (Pioneer F)– Launched March 2, 1972 on an
Atlas/Centaur along with its sister ship Pioneer 11
Planetary Exploration
Pioneer 11 (Pioneer G)– Launched April 6, 1972 on an
Atlas/Centaur along with its sister ship Pioneer 11
Also targeted for a flyby of Jupiter, and then on to Saturn for measurements of Saturn, its environment, and its moons
Radio contact lost with Pioneer 11 in 1995 after 22 years of flight operations, and with Pioneer 10 in 2002 after 30 years of operation
Planetary Exploration
The Voyager 1 and 2 duo followed the Pioneer dual spacecraft mission with expanded objectives
Following the flyby of Jupiter and Saturn, Voyager was sent on an interstellar mission to measure the interplanetary environment surrounding our Sun and the region beyond – the interstellar environment of our galaxy
Voyager 1 launched September Voyager 1 launched September 5, 1977 on a Titan III/Centaur 5, 1977 on a Titan III/Centaur boosterbooster
Planetary Exploration
Voyager 2– Launched August 20, 1977 on a Titan
III/Centaur before its sister ship Voyager 1
Voyager was directed on a 22-year mission to fly by all of the Jovian planets, then on an interstellar mission that began 22 years ago– Flyby of Neptune was in October 1989
Voyager is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune
Planetary Exploration
Voyager 2 is still returning data from the distant regions of the Sun’s magnetic and particle influence known as the heliosphere
Distance to Voyager 2 is approximately 95 AU as of 2011
Power for communications is expected to last until approximately 2025– Lifetime is limited by the power output of
the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) power supply that decreases with time as the heat source reduces in heat output with time
Planetary Exploration
Galileo
Galileo was the first dedicated orbiter mission to the Jovian planets
Galileo was launched on a Jupiter exploration mission from Space Shuttle Atlantis on October 18, 1989
A Venus-Earth-Earth gravity A Venus-Earth-Earth gravity assist (VEEGA) took Galileo to its assist (VEEGA) took Galileo to its target in December, 1989target in December, 1989A descent probe was released to A descent probe was released to measure Jupiter’s upper measure Jupiter’s upper atmosphere and relay data atmosphere and relay data through the Galileo spacecraftthrough the Galileo spacecraft
Planetary Exploration
Galileo was commanded to burn up in Jupiter’s atmosphere in September 2003 to avoid an accidental collision with one of the Jovian moons and the possibility of contamination
Planetary Exploration
Cassini
Cassini was the second dedicated Jovian explorer send to observe Saturn, its environment, and its moons
Cassini was launched on October 15, 1997 on a Titan IVB/Centaur booster with a gravity assist from a Venus-Venus-Earth series, then Jupiter enroute to Saturn
Orbit entry at Saturn in July 2004
Release of the Titan probe name Huygens was in December 2004 for atmospheric measurements and a soft landing
Planetary Exploration
Cassini continues to orbit Saturn and return data on Saturn and its moons, including the mysterious Titan - the only moon with a dense atmosphere
MercuryMercury
Planetary Exploration
Mariner 10
Mariner 10 was the only spacecraft sent to explore Mercury until the launch of Messenger in 2004
Mariner 10 launch December 3, 1973 on aa Atlas/Centaur booster
After a Venus gravity assist, Mariner arrived at Mercury for its first encounter on March 1974, followed by two other flybys and a permanent heliocentric orbit
Planetary Exploration
MESSENGER
MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging) is an orbiter spacecraft designed to explore the solar and Mercury environment in permanent orbit around the planet
MESSENGER was launched August 3, 2004 on a Delta II booster
After Venus and Earth gravity assists and three close flyby’s of Mercury, MESSENGER entered orbit around Mercury on March 18, 2011
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