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This is a timeline of Solar System exploration ordered by date of
spacecraft A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, p ...
launch. It includes: *All spacecraft that have left Earth orbit for the purposes of
Solar System exploration This is a timeline of Solar System exploration ordered by date of spacecraft launch. It includes: *All spacecraft that have left Earth orbit for the purposes of Solar System exploration (or were launched with that intention but failed), inclu ...
(or were launched with that intention but failed), including
lunar probe The physical exploration of the Moon began when '' Luna 2'', a space probe launched by the Soviet Union, made an impact on the surface of the Moon on September 14, 1959. Prior to that the only available means of exploration had been observatio ...
s. *A small number of pioneering or notable Earth-orbiting craft. It does ''not'' include: *Centuries of terrestrial telescopic observation. *The great majority of Earth-orbiting satellites. *
Space probe A space probe is an artificial satellite that travels through space to collect scientific data. A space probe may orbit Earth; approach the Moon; travel through interplanetary space; flyby, orbit, or land or fly on other planetary bodies; or ent ...
s leaving Earth orbit that are not concerned with Solar System exploration (such as
space telescope A space telescope or space observatory is a telescope in outer space used to observe astronomical objects. Suggested by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, the first operational telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2 launched ...
s targeted at distant galaxies,
cosmic background radiation Cosmic background radiation is electromagnetic radiation from the Big Bang. The origin of this radiation depends on the region of the spectrum that is observed. One component is the cosmic microwave background. This component is redshifted pho ...
observatories, and so on). *Probes that failed at launch. The dates listed are launch dates, but the achievements noted may have occurred some time laterin some cases, a considerable time later (for example, ''
Voyager 2 ''Voyager 2'' is a space probe launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, to study the outer planets and interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere. As a part of the Voyager program, it was launched 16 days before its twin, ''Voyager 1'', on a ...
'', launched 20 August 1977, did not reach Neptune until 1989).


1950s


1960s


1970s


1980s


1990s


2000s


2010s


2020s


Planned or scheduled


See also

*
Discovery and exploration of the Solar System Discovery and exploration of the Solar System is observation, visitation, and increase in knowledge and understanding of Earth's "cosmic neighborhood". This includes the Sun, Earth and the Moon, the major planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Sa ...
*
List of missions to the Moon As part of human exploration of the Moon, numerous space missions have been undertaken to study Earth's natural satellite. Of the Moon landings, Luna 2 of the Soviet Union was the first spacecraft to reach its surface successfully, intentional ...
*
List of missions to Mars This is a list of the 50 spacecraft missions (including unsuccessful ones) relating to the planet Mars, such as orbiters and rovers. Missions ;Mission Type Legend: Mars landing locations There are a number of derelict orbiters around ...
*
List of Solar System probes This is a list of space probes that have left Earth orbit (or were launched with that intention but failed), organized by their planned destination. It includes planetary probes, solar probes, and probes to asteroids and comets, but excludes l ...
*
List of space telescopes This list of space telescopes (astronomical space observatories) is grouped by major frequency ranges: gamma ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave and radio. Telescopes that work in multiple frequency bands are included in all o ...
*
New Frontiers program The New Frontiers program is a series of space exploration missions being conducted by NASA with the purpose of furthering the understanding of the Solar System. The program selects medium-class missions which can provide high science returns. ...
* ''Out of the Cradle'' – 1984 book about scientific speculation on future missions. *
Space Race The Space Race was a 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union, to achieve superior spaceflight capability. It had its origins in the ballistic missile-based nuclear arms race between the tw ...
*
Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes This Timeline of artificial satellites and Space probe A space probe is an artificial satellite that travels through space to collect scientific data. A space probe may orbit Earth; approach the Moon; travel through interplanetary space; flyby ...
*
Timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their moons The timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their natural satellites charts the progress of the discovery of new bodies over history. Each object is listed in chronological order of its discovery (multiple dates occur when the moments ...
*
Timeline of first orbital launches by country This is a timeline of first orbital launches by country. While a number of countries have built satellites, as of 2022, eleven countries have had the capability to send objects into orbit using their own launch vehicles. Russia and Ukraine inher ...
*
Timeline of space exploration This is a timeline of space exploration including notable achievements and first accomplishments or major events in humanity's exploration of outer space. Pre-20th century 1900–1956 1957–1959 1960–1969 1970–1980 1981–1999 ...
*
Timeline of space travel by nationality Since the first human spaceflight by the Soviet Union, citizens of 44 countries have flown in space. For each nationality, the launch date of the first mission is listed. The list is based on the nationality of the person at the time of the launc ...
*
Timeline of spaceflight This is the timeline of known spaceflights, both crewed and uncrewed, sorted chronologically by launch date. Owing to its large size, the timeline is split into smaller articles, one for each year since 1951. There is a separate list for all ...


References


External links


NASA Lunar and Planetary Science

NASA Solar System Strategic Exploration Plans


{{DEFAULTSORT:Timeline of Solar System Exploration
Solar System Exploration This is a timeline of Solar System exploration ordered by date of spacecraft launch. It includes: *All spacecraft that have left Earth orbit for the purposes of Solar System exploration (or were launched with that intention but failed), inclu ...
Discovery and exploration of the Solar System