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1950s
1957 - Sputnik 1
the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4,
1957. It marked the beginning of the Space age, and sparked the Space Race
between the USA and Soviet Union. Although not exactly a space probe, this
artificial satellite demonstrated the potential for space exploration.

1959 - Luna 1
Launched in 1959, this space probe became the first of its kind to escape
Earth’s orbit, and the first to reach the moon. These accomplishments show the
advancement in rocket propulsion, trajectory calculation, and spacecraft design.

1960s
1961 - Venera 1
Launched on February 12, 1961, this was the first space probe to attempt to
pass by Venus. And while it did, astronomers lost all contact from Venera 1 seven
days after its launch, and thus couldn’t gather any data. Despite the unsuccessful
attempt, Venera played a crucial role in paving the way for more sophisticated Venus
probes like Venera 7, which was the first space probe to land on Venus.

1965 - Mariner 4
Launched on November 28 1964, Mariner 4 was the first successful flyby of
Mars. This space probe gave astronomers 21 of the first pictures of Mars. This
proved that interplanetary photography and long-range communication was feasible.

1966 - Luna 9
Launched on January 31, 1966, Luna 9 was the first space probe to
successfully achieve a soft landing on a different celestial body. It also sent first ever
photographs from the Moon’s surface real-time! A breakthrough in remote sensing.
Luna 9 captured and transmitted actual images of the Moon’s surface to Earth very
shortly after landing – a first in space exploration.

1970s
1970 - Venera 7
Launched on August 17, 1970, Venera 7 became the first space probe to
successfully land on Venus. It was able to identify its crushing atmosphere and
blazing temperatures, while sending back photographs of its surface. Astronomers
lost contact with Venera 7 due to Venus’s intense heat, listed at 475 C. Despite this,
Venera 7 managed to last 23 minutes before it lost signal due to the harsh
environment.

1973 - Pioneer 10
Launched on March 2, 1972, Pioneer 10 was the first space probe to pass
through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which was a very serious
concern back then. But because of advancements in space probe navigation, it
passed through, with zero collisions despite travelling 450 million kilometers. This
proved at the time that space exploration was mature enough to flyby even Jupiter.

1977 - Voyager 2
Launched on August 20, 1977, Voyager 2 was the first and only space probe
to ever fly by all four gas giants - something never done before. This paved the way
for more ambitious missions like Galileo and Cassini-Huygens. Voyager 2 also
showed the use of gravity assist maneuvers to gain speed, and its endurance for
functioning for decades despite extreme conditions. To this day, Voyager 2 is still
transmitting data back to Earth 7 years after its exit from the solar system.

1977 - Voyager 1
Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 became one of the first space
probes to flyby Jupiter and Saturn. Yielding detailed photographs of both planets and
its respective moons. Voyager 1, using the technique of gravity assist maneuvers
eventually made its way out of the solar system and to interstellar space. Today,
Voyager 1 remains the farthest space probe from Earth, being 15 billion kilometers
away. But despite its distance, it still has been transmitting data for almost 50 years.
A demonstration to its endurance just like Voyager 2, and a testament to how far
space probe technology has gone since the start of the Space Age 20 years from
this timeline.

1980s
1989 - Galileo
Launched on October 18, 1989, Galileo became the first space probe to ever
orbit Jupiter, and the only space probe to be sent into a gas giant, while other space
probes only flew by. This allowed for a detailed study of the planet and its moons.
Galileo has advanced the long-term orbiting of distant planets, which paved the way
for future missions like Juno.
1990s
1996 - Mars Pathfinder / Sojourner
Launched on December 4 1996, Mars Pathfinder demonstrated the low cost,
high-value of missions. Instead of using legs for landing, Mars Pathfinder had
inflatable airbags which were more affordable. It also carried Sojourner, the first
rover on Mars. Taking pictures of the surface and analysing the composition of its
rocks and soil. Mars Pathfinder was a major breakthrough in making future Mars
missions cheaper, faster, and efficient. This mission also inspired future missions like
Spirit and Opportunity.

1997 - Cassini-Huygens
Launched on October 16, 1997, Cassini was sent to study Saturn and its
moons, using gravity assist maneuvers to slingshot its way there. Huygens was sent
to land on Titan. This mission deepened our understanding of Saturn’s rings and
moons. Showing that moons like Titan Enceladus may be habitable, and potentially
have life. This mission lasted 20 years, proving we could build, operate, and navigate
long-term missions, and showing how far space probe technology has come.

2000s
2004 - Rosetta
Launched on March 2, 2004, Rosetta became the first space probe to orbit a
comet. Along with Rosetta, it deployed Philae, the first space probe to land on a
comet. This mission was difficult due to how small the comet was, and how oddly
shaped it was. Not to mention, it was even moving! It took 10 years to reach its
target, using the same techniques Voyager 1 & 2 used. This goes to show that
navigational abilities have improved over the last 50 years.

2006 - New Horizons

Launched on January 19, 2006, New Horizons is the first and only space
probe to have ever flown by Pluto in July 2015. Launching at speeds of 58,000 km/h,
this space probe was the fast est ever launched at the time. A tiny error could mean
a huge change in trajectory, which could cause New Horizons to miss Pluto entirely.
After passing by Pluto, it went further into the Kuiper Belt to explore. To this day, it is
still active and continuing its mission in the Kuiper Belt. This mission showed that we
could explore the outermost parts of our solar system, and with precision at that.

2010s
2011 - Juno
Launched on August 5, 2011, Juno was the first ever space probe to use solar
power instead of nuclear energy this far from the sun, so this showed how efficient
solar tech had become for deep space missions. Furthermore, Juno had made
advancements to its radiation shields, being the closest space probe to Jupiter even
though Jupiter has the strongest radiation belt of any planet in the solar system. This
shows advancements in space probe technology that was impossible decades ago.

2020s
2020 - Perseverance
Launched on July 30, 2020, Perseverance is one of the most advanced space
probes ever built, especially for planet surface exploration. Perseverance was the
first rover to make its own decisions. It also had Ingenuity, the first aircraft ever to fly
on Mars. This made exploration inaccessible to ground rovers possible, and easier.
While older space probes had to wait for commands and were strictly terrestrial,
Perseverance introduced new ways of exploring terrain, and demonstrated
autonomous technology.
OLALIA
1958–1960s: Pioneering the Era of Probes
● 1958: First U.S. Pioneer 0 launched—early lunar attempt; soon followed by
Pioneer flybys sampling interplanetary space
1965–66: Venera 3, first spacecraft to impact Venus; crashed but marked
technological progress in atmospheric entry

1970s: First Landings, Orbits & Planetary Rovers

● 1970:

○ Luna 16 returns first lunar soil automatically

Lunokhod 1, first robotic rover on Moon surface.

○ Venera 7, first soft landing on another planet (Venus), transmitting to

Earth

1971:

● Salyut 1, the first crewed space station (Soviet)

Mariner 9, first probe to orbit Mars

Mars 3, first soft landing and signal transmission from Mars
1972: Pioneer 10, first probe on solar‐escape trajectory, venturing into outer Solar
System

1980s: Probes to Comets and Outer Worlds

● Early-1980s:

○ Venera 13–16 return color images and orbited Venus

Vega 1 & 2, flew by Venus and Halley’s Comet, deploying atmospheric
probes

Mid-1980s:
● Giotto (ESA), a close flyby of Halley’s Comet
1983: IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) performs first all-sky infrared
survey.

● 1985–86:

○ Giotto (ESA) and Vega 1 & 2 (USSR) perform close flybys of Halley's
Comet.

● 1989:

○ Voyager 2 flies past Neptune – first and only visit to the planet.

○ Magellan launched to map Venus with radar.

 ○ Galileo launched to explore Jupiter and its moons.

●
○ Voyager 2 images Uranus (1986) and later Neptune (1989)
Magellan orbited Venus mapping its surface via radar
Galileo, flew by multiple targets en route to orbiting Jupiter

1990s: Space Observatories and Mars Focus

● 1990:

○ Hubble Space Telescope launched.

○ Ulysses launched to study the Sun’s polar regions.

● 1996–1997:

○ Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Pathfinder launched, marking

renewed Mars exploration.

○ Cassini-Huygens launched to Saturn; Huygens would land on Titan in

2005.

● 1998–1999:

○ Nozomi (Japan) attempts Mars mission.

○ Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander both fail.

○ Launch of Chandra X-ray Observatory.

2000s: Sample Return and Comet Interaction

● 2001:

○ NEAR Shoemaker becomes first to land on an asteroid (Eros).

○ Genesis launched to return samples of solar wind.

● 2003–2004:

○ Hayabusa (Japan) launched to collect asteroid samples.

○ Mars Express (ESA) and Spirit and Opportunity rovers launched.

○ Rosetta launched toward Comet 67P.

○ MESSENGER launched to Mercury.

● 2005:

○ Deep Impact impacts Comet Tempel 1.

○ Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched.

2010s: Long-Duration Missions and New

Frontiers
● 2011: Juno launched to study Jupiter’s atmosphere and magnetosphere.

● 2014:

○ Rosetta orbits a comet for the first time; deploys Philae lander.

● 2015:

○ New Horizons flies by Pluto, returning first high-res images.

● 2016–2018:

○ OSIRIS-REx launched to asteroid Bennu (sample return).

○ InSight lands on Mars to study seismic activity.

2020s: Precision Exploration and Sample Return

● 2020:

○ Perseverance rover launched by NASA to Mars, begins sample

caching.

○ Tianwen-1 (China) launches with orbiter, lander, and rover for Mars.

● 2021–2022:

○ James Webb Space Telescope launched.

○ DART performs successful asteroid deflection test.

● 2023:

○ JUICE (ESA) launches to explore Jupiter’s icy moons.

 ● 2024:

○ Europa Clipper (NASA) launched to study Jupiter’s moon Europa.

Jucom

● Probes Exploring Moons and Other Worlds

○ Not only planets but also moons are being explored. The Galileo probe
studied Jupiter and its moons, revealing volcanic activity on Io and a
possible subsurface ocean on Europa. Cassini, which orbited Saturn
from 2004 to 2017, discovered liquid methane lakes on Titan and water
geysers erupting from Enceladus, suggesting that these moons could
support life.

○ Probes have also visited smaller objects like comets and asteroids.
Rosetta by the European Space Agency orbited and landed on a
comet, while NASA’s OSIRIS-REx collected a sample from asteroid
Bennu and is returning it to Earth. These missions help us learn about
the early solar system since comets and asteroids are considered
ancient building blocks of planets.

● Probing Deep Space

○ Some space probes go far beyond the planets. Voyager 1 is now

the most distant human-made object in space, over 24 billion
kilometers away. It carries a “Golden Record” with sounds and
images from Earth, just in case it’s ever found by intelligent life.
Meanwhile, the New Horizons mission gave us the first close-up
images of Pluto and continues to explore objects in the Kuiper
Belt.

○ Even space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope and
Hubble can be considered space probes. They observe galaxies,
stars, and exoplanets millions of light-years away, helping
 scientists understand how the universe began and whether other
Earth-like planets might exist.

○ Over the years, many space probes have been launched to

explore our solar system. For example, NASA’s Voyager 1 and
Voyager 2 were launched in 1977 and are still sending data from
deep space today. They have provided detailed information about
the outer planets, such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune,
and are now traveling in interstellar space—the region beyond our
solar system. These probes have taught us about magnetic fields,
planetary atmospheres, and even discovered new moons.

○ Probes have also explored moons, such as Europa and Titan,

which are considered potential homes for alien life. NASA’s
Galileo mission studied Jupiter and its moons, while Cassini
orbited Saturn and sent a lander called Huygens to Titan. These
missions revealed oceans beneath icy surfaces and thick
atmospheres on moons, expanding our ideas about where life
could exist.

OLALIA

1950s–1960s: Foundational Technologies

Highlights:

Basic probe design for launch, tracking, and re-entry.

First planetary flybys (e.g., Moon and Venus).

Introduction of telemetry and radio communication over interplanetary distances.

Development of heat shields for planetary entry.

Solar power used for longer-duration missions.

 1970s: Orbiters, Landers, and Rovers

Highlights:

First soft landings on the Moon, Mars, and Venus (e.g., Venera, Luna).

First remote-controlled rover (Lunokhod on Moon).

Planetary orbiters (e.g., Mariner 9 at Mars).

Basic robotic arms and sample collection (Luna 16).

Use of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) for deep-space power.

1980s: Outer Solar System and Comets

Highlights:

First flybys of outer planets (Uranus, Neptune via Voyager 2).

High-gain antennas for long-distance communication.

First close encounters with comets (Giotto, Vega).

Radar mapping of planets (e.g., Magellan on Venus).

Development of planetary radiation shielding for deep space.

1990s: Advanced Orbiters and Interplanetary Navigation

Highlights:

First long-duration planetary orbiters (e.g., Galileo at Jupiter).

Improved autonomous navigation systems.

Deep-space optical imaging (Hubble telescope).

Start of international collaboration (e.g., Mars Express, Nozomi).

Use of solar arrays and miniaturized instruments for spacecraft.

2000s: Sample Return and Landing Precision

Highlights:

First sample return from an asteroid (Hayabusa).

Improved precision landing systems (e.g., Mars rovers).

Use of ion propulsion (e.g., Deep Space 1).

More advanced spectrometers and onboard laboratories.

Initiation of comet impact experiments (Deep Impact).

2010s: Deep Space Autonomy and Robotics

Highlights:

First comet lander (Philae from Rosetta).

Autonomous hazard avoidance (Mars rovers like Curiosity).

Plasma and ion thrusters for better fuel efficiency.

3D mapping and terrain analysis by orbiters (e.g., Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter).

Enhanced data compression and AI-based navigation systems.

2020s: Sample Caching and Planetary Defense

Highlights:

Sample caching for future return (Mars Perseverance rover).

Planetary defense testing (DART mission to deflect asteroid).

Autonomous drone helicopters (Ingenuity on Mars).

Integration of AI and machine learning onboard.

Multiple modular payloads for international missions (JUICE, Europa Clipper).

Focus on life detection and organic compound analysis.

Timeline: Scientific Contributions and Technological Developments of Space

Probes

1957–1960s: Laying the Groundwork

1957 – Sputnik 1: Proved artificial satellites could orbit Earth; began the Space
Age.

1958 – Pioneer 1–3: Collected data on radiation belts and tested tracking systems.

1962 – Mariner 2: First successful planetary mission; confirmed Venus’ high

surface temperature.
1965 – Mariner 4: First close-up images of Mars; revealed cratered surface.

1966 – Luna 9: First soft landing on the Moon; proved surface could support
landers.

1967 – Venera 4: First direct analysis of another planet’s atmosphere (Venus).

1970s: First Surface Science

1970 – Lunokhod 1: First remotely operated rover; studied Moon's soil mechanics.

1971 – Mariner 9: First planetary orbiter; mapped entire surface of Mars.

1975 – Viking 1 & 2: First successful Mars landers with full laboratories; tested for
life and analyzed soil.

1977 – Voyager 1 & 2: Began Grand Tour of outer planets; revolutionized

understanding of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

1978 – ISEE-3: First probe to study solar wind–Earth interactions.

1980s: Deep Space and Comet Science

1983 – Pioneer 10: Became the first spacecraft to pass beyond the orbit of
Neptune.

1986 – Giotto and Vega: First close-up images and dust analysis of a comet
(Halley’s Comet).

1989 – Magellan: Radar-mapped 98% of Venus’ surface; revealed volcanic activity.

1990s: Advanced Observation and Global Missions

1990 – Hubble Space Telescope: Provided deep-space images; transformed

astronomy.

1997 – Mars Pathfinder & Sojourner: Demonstrated low-cost Mars landing and
surface mobility.

1998 – Nozomi: First Japanese Mars orbiter attempt; helped develop

interplanetary navigation tech.

1999 – Chandra X-ray Observatory: Allowed imaging of high-energy cosmic

phenomena.

2000s: Sample Return and Enhanced Autonomy

2001 – NEAR Shoemaker: First probe to land on an asteroid; analyzed surface

directly.

2003 – Hayabusa: First asteroid sample return (Itokawa); pioneered sample

retrieval from microgravity.

2004 – Rosetta launched: Designed for comet orbit and landing.

2005 – Deep Impact: Created and analyzed a crater on Comet Tempel 1; studied
interior composition.

2008 – Phoenix Mars Lander: Confirmed presence of water-ice in Martian soil.

2010s: Autonomy, Robotics, and Deep Exploration

2012 – Voyager 1: Crossed into interstellar space; first human-made object to do

so.
2014 – Rosetta & Philae: First comet orbiter and lander; studied composition and
surface chemistry.

2016 – OSIRIS-REx: Collected and returned asteroid samples (Bennu); contributed

to planetary defense studies.

2018 – InSight: Measured Marsquakes and internal heat flow; advanced planetary
geology.

2020s: AI, Precision, and Planetary Protection

2020 – Perseverance: First rover to cache samples for future return; used AI for
navigation; tested MOXIE (oxygen production on Mars).

2021 – DART: First real-world asteroid deflection test; showed kinetic impactor
method can change asteroid trajectory.

2022 – CAPSTONE: Tested navigation for future lunar Gateway station.

2023 – JUICE: Launched to explore Jupiter’s icy moons; will study subsurface
oceans.

2024 – Europa Clipper (launched): Will study habitability of Europa’s subsurface

ocean.

2025 (expected) – MMX (JAXA): Sample return mission to Martian moon Phobos.

Timeline: Development of Probe Science & Technology

1950s – The Birth of Space Probes

1957: Sputnik 1 – First artificial satellite (USSR); began the space age.
1958: Pioneer 0 – First U.S. lunar probe attempt; foundation for future
interplanetary probes.

1960s – First Planetary Missions

1962: Mariner 2 – First successful planetary probe (Venus flyby).

1966: Luna 9 – First soft landing on the Moon.

1967: Venera 4 – First atmospheric data sent back from another planet (Venus).

1970s – Orbiters, Landers, and Rovers

1970: Lunokhod 1 – First robotic rover on the Moon.

1971: Mariner 9 – First spacecraft to orbit another planet (Mars).

1975: Viking 1 & 2 – First successful landers on Mars with onboard laboratories.

1980s – Outer Planet and Comet Exploration

1983: Pioneer 10 exits solar system – first interstellar probe.

1986: Giotto – First close-up images of a comet (Halley).

1989: Magellan – Radar mapping of Venus’ surface begins.

1990s – High-Precision Instruments and Navigation

1990: Hubble Space Telescope – Space-based observatory revolutionizes

astronomy.

1997: Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner rover – First Mars rover.

1999: Chandra X-ray Observatory – Advances deep space imaging.

2000s – Sample Return and Advanced Propulsion

2001: NEAR Shoemaker – First asteroid landing.

2003: Hayabusa (JAXA) – First asteroid sample-return mission.

2004: Rosetta – First comet orbiter, later deploys lander.

2005: Deep Impact – Probes a comet’s interior by crashing an impactor.

2010s – Autonomy and Deep Space Robotics

2012: Voyager 1 enters interstellar space.

2014: Philae lands on a comet (first time in history).

2016: OSIRIS-REx – Asteroid Bennu sample collection mission.

2018: InSight lands on Mars to study its internal structure.

2020s – Precision, AI, and Planetary Defense

2020: Perseverance rover lands on Mars with Ingenuity drone.

2021: DART mission launches – first planetary defense test.

2023: JUICE (ESA) launches to explore Jupiter’s icy moons.

2024: Europa Clipper (NASA) launched to study Europa’s ocean.

MACEY CAPELLAN

Additional info:

Space probes refer to any unmanned, robotic spacecraft designed to explore beyond the
Earth's orbit to gather information about other celestial bodies. They study the atmosphere
and composition of space, sometimes operating far out in space, or by landing on a planet or
a moon.

Space probes have been sent into space since the late 1950s, and some 200 crafts have been
sent then. There are three types of space probes; Interplanetary, Orbiter, Magellan.

- Interplanetary: Voyager 1 (1977)

-