Lunar and Planetary Missions
Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, Universityof Wisconsin - Green Bay
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- 1957
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- Sputnik 1 (USSR)
- 4 Oct 1957: Earth Orbiter
- Sputnik 2 (USSR)
- 3 November 1957: Earth Orbiter
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- 1958
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- Explorer 1 (USA)
- 1 Feb 1958: Earth Orbiter
- Vanguard 1 (USA)
- 17 Mar 1958: Earth Orbiter
- Pioneer 0 (USA)
- 17 Aug 1958: Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1958A (USSR)
- 23 Sep 1958: Attempted Lunar Impact? (Launch Failure)
- Pioneer 1 (USA)
- 11 Oct 1958: Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure).
- Luna 1958B (USSR)
- 12 Oct 1958: Attempted Lunar Impact? (Launch Failure)
- Pioneer 2 (USA)
- 8 Nov 1958: Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1958C (USSR)
- 4 Dec 1958: Attempted Lunar Impact? (Launch Failure)
- Pioneer 3 (USA)
- 6 Dec 1958: Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
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- 1959
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- Luna 1 (USSR)
- 2 Jan 1959: Lunar Flyby (Attempted Lunar Impact?)
- Pioneer 4 (USA)
- 3 Mar 1959: Lunar Flyby
- Luna 1959A (USSR)
- 16 Jun 1959: Attempted Lunar Impact? (Launch Failure)
- Luna 2 (USSR)
- 12 Sep 1959: Lunar Impact: first contact with another celestial body.
- Luna 3 (USSR)
- 4 Oct 1959: Lunar Flyby 10 October: first photos of lunar far side.
- Pioneer P-3 (USA)
- 26 Nov 1959: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
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- 1960
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- Luna 1960A (USSR)
- 15 Apr 1960: Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1960B (USSR)
- 18 Apr 1960: Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Pioneer P-30 (USA)
- 25 Sept 1960: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
- Marsnik 1 (Mars 1960A) (USSR)
- 10 Oct 1960 (USA): Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Marsnik 2 (Mars 1960B) (USSR)
- 14 Oct 1960: Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Pioneer P-31 (USA)
- 15 Dec 1960: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
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- 1961
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- Sputnik 7 (USSR)
- 4 Feb 1961: Attempted Venus Impact
- Venera 1 (USSR)
- 12 Feb 1961: Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
- Ranger 1 (USA)
- 23 Aug 1961: Attempted Lunar Test Flight
- Ranger 2 (USA)
- 18 Nov 1961: Attempted Lunar Test Flight
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- 1962
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- Ranger 3 (USA)
- 26 Jan 1962: Attempted Lunar Impact
- Ranger 4 (USA)
- 23 Apr 1962: Lunar Impact
- Mariner 1 (USA)
- 22 Jul 1962: Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Sputnik 23 (USSR)
- 25 Aug 1962: Attempted Venus Flyby
- Mariner 2 (USA)
- 27 Aug 1962: Venus Flyby. Passed within 34,833 km on December 14. Contact lost January 3, 1963 at 87 million km.
- Sputnik 24 (USSR)
- 1 Sep 1962: Attempted Venus Flyby
- Sputnik 25 (USSR)
- 12 Sep 1962: Attempted Venus Flyby
- Ranger 5 (USA)
- 18 Oct 1962: Attempted Lunar Impact
- Sputnik 29 (USSR)
- 24 Oct 1962: Attempted Mars Flyby
- Mars 1 (USSR)
- 1 Nov 1962: Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)
- Sputnik 31 (USSR)
- 4 Nov 1962: Attempted Mars Flyby
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- 1963
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- Sputnik 33 (USSR)
- 4 Jan 1963: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Luna 1963B (USSR)
- 2 Feb 1963: Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
- Luna 4 (USSR)
- 2 Apr 1963: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Cosmos 21 (USSR)
- 11 Nov 1963: Attempted Venera Test Flight?
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- 1964
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- Ranger 6 (USA)
- 30 Jan 1964: Lunar Impact: Cameras failed shortly before arrival.
- Venera 1964A (USSR)
- 19 Feb 1964: Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Venera 1964B (USSR)
- 1 Mar 1964: Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1964A (USSR)
- 21 Mar 1964: Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
- Cosmos 27 (USSR)
- 27 Mar 1964: Attempted Venus Flyby
- Zond 1 (USSR)
- 2 Apr 1964: Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
- Luna 1964B (USSR)
- 20 Apr 1964: Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
- Zond 1964A (USSR)
- 4 Jun 1964: Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)
- Ranger 7 (USSR)
- 28 Jul 1964: Lunar Impact on 31 July: first success in Ranger series. 4300 photos returned. Impact area renamed Mare Cognitum (Known Sea) in recognition of first lunar close-up pictures.
- Mariner 3 (USA)
- 5 Nov 1964: Attempted Mars Flyby
- Mariner 4 (USA)
- 28 Nov 1964: Mars Flyby; first closeup photos of Mars. Abundance of craters a surprise.
- Zond 2 (USSR)
- 30 Nov 1964: Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)
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- 1965
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- Ranger 8 (USA)
- 17 Feb 1965: Lunar Impact on 20 February; 7100 images returned.
- Cosmos 60 (USSR)
- 12 Mar 1965: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Ranger 9 (USA)
- 21 Mar 1965: Lunar Impact on 24 March; 5800 images returned.
- Luna 1965A (USSR)
- 10 Apr 1965: Attempted Lunar Lander? (Launch Failure)
- Luna 5 (USSR)
- 9 May 1965: Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)
- Luna 6 (USSR)
- 8 Jun 1965: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Zond 3 (USSR)
- 18 Jul 1965: Lunar Flyby and system test; returned 28 photos before entering solar orbit.
- Luna 7 (USSR)
- 4 Oct 1965: Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)
- Venera 2 (USSR)
- 12 Nov 1965: Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)
- Venera 3 (USSR)
- 16 Nov 1965: Venus Lander (Contact Lost)
- Cosmos 96 (USSR)
- 23 Nov 1965: Attempted Venus Lander?
- Venera 1965A (USSR)
- 23 Nov 1965: Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Luna 8 (USSR)
- 3 Dec 1965: Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing?)
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- 1966
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- Luna 9 (USSR)
- 31 Jan 1966: Lunar Lander; soft landing and pictures returned on February 3.
- Cosmos 111 (USSR)
- 1 Mar 1966: Attempted Lunar Orbiter?
- Luna 10 (USSR)
- 31 Mar 1966: First Lunar Orbiter
- Luna 1966A (USSR)
- 30 Apr 1966: Attempted Lunar Orbiter? (Launch Failure)
- Surveyor 1 (USA)
- 30 May 1966: Lunar Lander; soft landing on June 2. 11240 pictures transmitted.
- Explorer 33 (USA)
- 1 Jul 1966: Attempted Lunar Orbiter
- Lunar Orbiter 1 (USA)
- 10 Aug 1966: Lunar Orbiter; obtained 216 images, including 11 of far side.
- Luna 11 (USSR)
- 24 Aug 1966: Lunar Orbiter
- Surveyor 2 (USA)
- 20 Sep 1966: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Luna 12 (USSR)
- 22 Oct 1966: Lunar Orbiter; returned images.
- Lunar Orbiter 2 (USA)
- 6 Nov 1966: Lunar Orbiter; returned 409 images.
- Luna 13 (USSR)
- 21 Dec 1966: Lunar Lander; soft landing on December 24; pictures transmitted.
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- 1967
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- Lunar Orbiter 3 (USA)
- 4 Feb 1967: Lunar Orbiter; obtained 290 images
- Surveyor 3 (USA)
- 17 Apr 1967: Lunar Lander; soft landing on April 20; returned 6300 images and analyzed lunar surface materials.
- Lunar Orbiter 4 (USA)
- 8 May 1967: Lunar Orbiter obtained 546 images covering virtually all of Moon.
- Venera 4 (USSR)
- 12 Jun 1967: Venus Probe. Dropped hard lander on night side October 18, 1967
- Mariner 5 (USA)
- 14 Jun 1967: Venus Flyby within 4100 km on October 19.
- Cosmos 167 (USSR)
- 17 Jun 1967: Attempted Venus Probe
- Surveyor 4 (USA)
- 14 Jul 1967: Attempted Lunar Lander
- Explorer 35 (IMP-E) (USA)
- 19 Jul 1967: Lunar Orbiter
- Lunar Orbiter 5 (USA)
- 1 Aug 1967: Lunar Orbiter
- Surveyor 5 (USA)
- 8 Sep 1967: Lunar Lander
- Zond 1967A (USSR)
- 28 Sep 1967: Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)
- Surveyor 6 (USA)
- 7 Nov 1967: Lunar Lander
- Zond 1967B (USSR)
- 22 Nov 1967: Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)
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- 1968
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- Surveyor 7 (USA)
- 7 Jan 1968: Lunar Lander
- Luna 1968A (USSR)
- 7 Feb 1968: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
- Zond 4 (USSR)
- 2 Mar 1968: Attempted Lunar Flyby?
- Luna 14 (USSR)
- 7 Apr 1968: Lunar Orbiter
- Zond 1968A (USSR)
- 23 Apr 1968: Attempted Lunar Test Flight? (Launch Failure)
- Zond 5 (USSR)
- 15 Sep 1968: Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
- Zond 6 (USSR)
- 10 Nov 1968: Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
- Apollo 8 (USA)
- 21 Dec 1968: Manned Lunar Orbiter
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- 1969
- ==================
- Venera 5 (USSR)
- 5 Jan 1969: Venus Probe: dropped hard lander on night side May 16.
- Venera 6 (USSR)
- 10 Jan 1969: Venus Probe: dropped hard lander on night side May 17.
- Zond 1969A (USSR)
- 20 Jan 1969: Attempted Lunar Flyby and Return (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1969A (USSR)
- 19 Feb 1969: Attempted Lunar Rover? (Launch Failure)
- Zond L1S-1 (USSR)
- 21 Feb 1969: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
- Mariner 6 (USA)
- 25 Feb 1969: Mars Flyby
- Mariner 7 (USA)
- 27 Mar 1969: Mars Flyby
- Mars 1969A (USSR)
- 27 Mar 1969: Attempted Mars Lander? (Launch Failure)
- Mars 1969B (USSR)
- 2 Apr 1969: Attempted Mars Lander? (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1969B (USSR)
- 15 Apr 1969: Attempted Lunar Sample Return? (Launch Failure)
- Apollo 10 (USA)
- 18 May 1969: Manned Lunar Orbiter
- Luna 1969C (USSR)
- 14 Jun 1969: Attempted Lunar Sample Return? (Launch Failure)
- Zond L1S-2 (USSR)
- 3 Jul 1969: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
- Luna 15 (USSR)
- 13 Jul 1969: Lunar Orbiter (Attempted Lunar Lander?)
- Apollo 11 (USA)
- 16 Jul 1969: Manned Lunar Landing
- Zond 7 (USSR)
- 7 Aug 1969: Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
- Cosmos 300 (USSR)
- 23 Sep 1969: Attempted Lunar Sample Return?
- Cosmos 305 (USSR)
- 22 Oct 1969: Attempted Lunar Sample Return?
- Apollo 12 (USA)
- 14 Nov 1969: Manned Lunar Landing
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- 1970
- ==================
- Luna 1970A (USSR)
- 6 Feb 1970: Attempted Lunar Sample Return? (Launch Failure)
- Luna 1970B (USSR)
- 19 Feb 1970: Attempted Lunar Orbiter? (Launch Failure)
- Apollo 13 (USA)
- 11 Apr 1970: Manned Lunar Mission (Landing Aborted)
- Venera 7 (USSR)
- 17 Aug 1970: Venus Lander: dropped soft lander on night side December 15.
- Cosmos 359 (USSR)
- 22 Aug 1970: Attempted Venus Probe
- Luna 16 (USSR)
- 12 Sep 1970: Lunar Sample Return
- Zond 8 (USSR)
- 20 Oct 1970: Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth
- Luna 17/lunokhod 1 (USSR)
- 10 Nov 1970: Lunar Rover
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- 1971
- ==================
- Apollo 14 (USA)
- 31 Jan 1971: Manned Lunar Landing
- Mariner 8 (USA)
- 8 May 1971: Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)
- Cosmos 419 (USSR)
- 10 May 1971: Attempted Mars Orbiter/lander
- Mars 2 (USSR)
- 19 May 1971: Mars Orbiter/ Attempted Lander
- Mars 3 (USSR)
- 28 May 1971: Mars Orbiter/ Attempted Lander
- Mariner 9 (USA)
- 30 May 1971: Mars Orbiter
- Apollo 15 (USA)
- 26 Jul 1971: Manned Lunar Landing
- Luna 18 (USSR)
- 2 Sep 1971: Attempted Lunar Sample Return
- Luna 19 (USSR)
- 28 Sep 1971: Lunar Orbiter
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- 1972
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- Luna 20 (USSR)
- 14 Feb 1972: Lunar Sample Return
- Pioneer 10 (USA)
- 3 Mar 1972: Jupiter Flyby
- Venera 8 (USSR)
- 27 Mar 1972: Venus Lander: dropped soft lander on day side July 22.
- Cosmos 482 (USSR)
- 31 Mar 1972: Attempted Venus Probe
- Apollo 16 (USA)
- 16 Apr 1972: Lunar Manned Landing
- Soyuz L3 (USSR)
- 23 Nov 1972: Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)
- Apollo 17 (USA)
- 7 Dec 1972: Lunar Manned Landing
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- 1973
- ==================
- Luna 21/lunokhod 2 (USSR)
- 8 Jan 1973: Lunar Rover
- Pioneer 11 (USA)
- 5 Apr 1973: Jupiter/Saturn Flyby
- Explorer 49 (RAE-B) (USA)
- 10 Jun 1973: Lunar Orbiter/Radio Astronomy
- Mars 4 (USSR)
- 21 Jul 1973: Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Orbiter)
- Mars 5 (USSR)
- 25 Jul 1973: Mars Orbiter
- Mars 6 (USSR)
- 5 Aug 1973: Mars Lander (Contact Lost)
- Mars 7 (USSR)
- 9 Aug 1973: Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Lander)
- Mariner 10 (USA)
- 4 Nov 1973: Venus/mercury Flybys
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- 1974
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- Luna 22 (USSR)
- 2 Jun 1974: Lunar Orbiter
- Luna 23 (USSR)
- 28 Oct 1974: Attempted Lunar Sample Return
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- 1975
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- Venera 9 (USSR)
- 8 Jun 1975: Venus Orbiter and Lander
- Venera 10 (USSR)
- 14 Jun 1975: Venus Orbiter and Lander
- Viking 1 (USA)
- 20 Aug 1975: Mars Orbiter and Lander
- Viking 2 (USA)
- 9 Sep 1975: Mars Orbiter and Lander
- Luna 1975A (USSR)
- 16 Oct 1975: Attempted Lunar Sample Return?
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- 1976
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- Luna 24 (USSR)
- 9 Aug 1976: Lunar Sample Return
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- 1977
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- Voyager 2 (USA)
- 20 Aug 1977: Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus/neptune Flyby
- Voyager 1 (USA)
- 5 Sep 1977: Jupiter/Saturn Flyby
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- 1978
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- Pioneer Venus 1 (USA)
- 20 May 1978: Venus Orbiter
- ISEE-3/iCE (USA)
- 12 Aug 1978: Comet Giacobini-Zinner and Halley Flybys
- Venera 11 (USSR)
- 9 Sep 1978: Venus Orbiter and Lander
- Venera 12 (USSR)
- 14 Sep 1978: Venus Orbiter and Lander
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- 1979-80
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- 1981
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- Venera 13 (USSR)
- 30 Oct 1981: Venus Orbiter and Lander
- Venera 14 (USSR)
- 4 Nov 1981: Venus Orbiter and Lander
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- 1982
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- 1983
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- Venera 15 (USSR)
- 2 Jun 1983: Venus Orbiter
- Venera 16 (USSR)
- 7 Jun 1983: Venus Orbiter
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- 1984
- ==================
- Vega 1 (USSR)
- 15 Dec 1984: Venus Lander and Balloon/comet Halley Flyby
- Vega 2 (USSR)
- 21 Dec 1984: Venus Lander and Balloon/comet Halley Flyby
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- 1985
- ==================
- Sakigake (Japan)
- 7 Jan 1985: Comet Halley Flyby
- Giotto (European Space Agency)
- 2 Jul 1985: Comet Halley Flyby
- Suisei (Planet-A) (Japan)
- 18 Aug 1985: Comet Halley Flyby
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- 1986-87
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- 1988
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- Phobos 1 (USSR)
- 7 Jul 1988: Attempted Mars Orbiter/phobos Landers
- Phobos 2 (USSR)
- 12 Jul 1988: Mars Orbiter/attempted Phobos Landers
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- 1989
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- Magellan (USA)
- 4 May 1989: Venus Orbiter
- Galileo (USA)
- 18 Oct 1989: Jupiter Orbiter/probe
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- 1990
- ==================
- Hiten (Japan)
- 24 Jan 1990: Lunar Flyby and Orbiter
- Ulysses (USA)
- 06 Oct 1990: Jupiter Flyby and Solar Polar Orbiter
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- 1991
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- ==================
- 1992
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- Mars Observer (USA)
- 25 Sep 1992: Attempted Mars Orbiter (Contact Lost)
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- 1993
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- 1994
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- Clementine (USA)
- 25 Jan 1994: Lunar Orbiter/attempted Asteroid Flyby
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- 1995
- ==================
- ==================
- 1996
- ==================
- NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) (USA)
- 17 Feb 1996: Asteroid Eros Orbiter
- Mars Global Surveyor (USA)
- 07 Nov 1996: Mars Orbiter
- Mars 96 (USSR)
- 16 Nov 1996: Attempted Mars Orbiter/landers
- Mars Pathfinder (USA)
- 04 Dec 1996: Mars Lander and Rover
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- 1997
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- Cassini (USA)
- 15 Oct 1997: Saturn Orbiter
- Huygens (USA)
- 15 Oct 1997: Titan Probe
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- 1998
- ==================
- Lunar Prospector (USA)
- 7 Jan 1998: Lunar Orbiter
Future Missions
- Deep Space 1 (USA) - 1 Jul 1998 - Asteroid and Comet Flyby
- Planet-B (Japan) - 6 Aug 1998 - Mars Orbiter
- Mars Surveyor '98 Orbiter (USA) - Dec 1998 - Mars Orbiter
- Mars Surveyor '98 Lander (USA) - 6 Jan 1999 - Mars Lander
- Deep Space 2 (USA) - 6 Jan 1999 - Mars Penetrator
- Stardust (USA) - 6 Feb 1999 - Comet Coma Sample Return
- Lunar-A (Japan) - Feb/mar 1999 - Lunar Orbiter and Penetrators
- Genesis (USA) - Jan 2001 - Solar Wind Sample Return
- Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter (USA) - 7 Mar 2001 - Mars Orbiter
- Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander (USA) - 5 Apr 2001 - Mars Lander/Rover
- Muses-C (Japan) - Jan 2002 - Asteroid Lander and Sample Return
- CONTOUR (USA) - Jul 2002 - Fly-by of three Comet Nuclei
Proposed Future Missions
- Europa Orbiter (USA) - 2002 - Proposed Europa Orbiter
- Pluto-Kuiper Express (USA) - 2002 - Proposed Flyby of Pluto and Kuiper Belt
- Rosetta (USA)- 23 Jan 2003 - Comet Orbiter and Lander
- Champollion/dS-4 (USA) - May 2003 - Comet Sample Return
- Mars Surveyor 2003 (USA)- May 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
- Selene (Japan) - 2003 - Lunar Orbiter
- Mars Surveyor (USA) 2005 - Jul 2005 - Mars Orbiter and Lander
- Mercury Orbiter (USA) - 2006 - Mercury Orbiter
References
Chronology simplified from:
National Space Sciences Data Center Chronology of Lunar and Planetary Missions.
Visit the site for the original chronology plus links to mission profiles.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nssdc/whats_new.html#chron
Additional Sources for Notes:
- R. Greeley
- Planetary Landscapes, Allen and Unwin, 1985
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Created 18 March 1998, Last Update 15 January 2020