Future Events
This page is dedicated to recording key dates relating to future space research missions.
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2012 |
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Lauch of Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), NASA X-ray telescope |
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2012 |
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Launch of Astrosat, Indias first dedicated astronomical research satellite |
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2013 |
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Launch of Gaia Mission by ESA |
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2013 |
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Launch of Spectrum-X-Gamma (SXG) an international high-energy astrophysics observatory |
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2014 |
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Rosetta mission lands on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenkonko |
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2016 |
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ICESat2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite) - Study of Earths Icecaps |
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2017 |
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Launch of ESA Solar Orbiter Mission |
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2018 |
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James Webb Space Telescope an international infrared telescope designed to replace the Hubble Space Telescope |
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TBA |
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Launch of Tel Aviv University Ultraviolet Explorer (TAUVEX) |
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TBA |
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Launch of SIM PlanetQuest, a NASA space telescope to hunt for Earth-sized planets orbiting stars |
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TBA |
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Constellation programme which includes NASA’s new manned lunar exploration vehicle Orion and the Ares launch vehicle |
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TBA |
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International X Observatory is a planned NASA/EA X-ray space observatory |
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TBA |
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The Dark Universe Observatory (DUO) is a planned NASA space-based telescope to observe galaxy clusters in the X-ray range |
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TBA |
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Terrestrial Planet Finder NASA mission |
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TBA |
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Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)-2 environmental satellite NASA mission |
Current Missions
Since the start of the space age satellites and probes have greatly enhanced our knowledge of astronomy. These are current missions
Mission |
Status |
Launch |
Details |
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Active |
1977 |
One of the two craft sent on the first great tour. It flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus and is now far out into deep space looking for the heliopause, where the solar wind gives way to the interstellar medium. It entered the boundary of our solar system, known as the ‘heliosheath’ on 30 August 2007 (launched before Voyager 1) |
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Active |
1977 |
The other craft sent on the first great tour. It also flew past Jupiter and Saturn . It too is now far out into deep space looking for the heliopause. It entered the ‘Hedliosheath’ in May 2005 |
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Active |
1990 |
The HST has taken many striking images of astronomical objects. The telescope orbiting above the Earths atmosphere is capable of taking very sharp images and has been serviced several times by shuttle astronauts |
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Geotail |
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Active |
1992 |
Studies solar wind interaction with the magnetosphere. |
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Active |
1995 |
This joint ESA/NASA mission is sited 1.5 million kilometres from the sun which it keeps under constant observation |
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Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) |
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Active |
1995 |
X-Ray observatory |
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Active |
1997 |
This joint ESA/NASA/ASI major mission to the Saturnian system arrived in 2004 and is orbiting the system improving our knowledge of Saturn and it’s moons and magnetosphere. Cassini is the main spacecraft and Huygens is a probe that landed on the moon Titan on 14 January 2005. |
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Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)
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Active |
1997 |
Mission orbiting the L1 point to measure solar particles |
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Active |
1998 |
Manned orbital research station |
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XMM-Newton |
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Active |
1999 |
This is ESA’s orbiting X-ray telescope |
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Quick Scatterometer |
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Active |
1999 |
NASA mission measuring wind speeds over oceans |
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Terra |
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Active |
1999 |
Study climate change mission |
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Active Cavity Irradiance Monitor |
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Active |
1999 |
NASA mission measuring solar energy reaching Earth |
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Cluster |
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Active |
2000 |
This group of of 4 ESA satellites studies the solar wind and it’s interaction with the Earths magnetic field |
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High Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE2) |
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Active |
2000 |
Study of gamma-ray bursts with X-ray, and gamma-ray instruments |
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Earth Observing 1 |
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Active |
2000 |
Earth observations and testing of new instrumentation |
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Mars Odyssey |
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Active |
2001 |
NASA mission looking for water on Mars |
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Jason1 |
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Active |
2001 |
NASA Oceanography satellite |
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Odin |
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Active |
2001 |
A Swedish satellite to study star formation |
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Integral |
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Active |
2002 |
This ESA orbiting observatory can simultaneously observe objects in gamma rays, X-rays, and visible light and is looking for gamma-ray bursts |
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Grace |
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Active |
2002 |
Joint US/German Oceanography mission |
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Aqua |
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Active |
2002 |
NASA Earth observation mission |
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Mars Express |
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Active |
2003 |
This is the first mission ESA has sent to Mars. The Beagle2 lander which formed part of this mission was lost |
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Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) |
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Active |
2003 |
Ultraviolet mission studying historic star formation |
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Spitzer Space Telescope |
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Active |
2003 |
Infrared telescope studying early universe |
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Spirit |
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Active |
2003 |
Mars Rover, now stationary science platform |
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Opportunity |
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Active |
2003 |
Mars Rover |
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Cosmic Hot Interstellar Spectrometer (CHIPS) |
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Active |
2003 |
The mission was to research hot and diffuse nebulae. It continues to operate but it’s mission has been changed to solar observation. |
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Kaistsat 4 |
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Active |
2003 |
Astrophysical satellite carries a special UV imaging spectrograph |
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Most |
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Active |
2003 |
Telescope monitoring star brightness |
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Chandra X-ray Observatory |
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Active |
2004 |
This is one of NASA’s great observatories |
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Rosetta |
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In transit |
2004 |
ESA mission to land on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenkonko in 2014 |
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Messenger |
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Active |
2004 |
Mercury orbiter mission |
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Swift |
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Active |
2004 |
Study Gamma Ray bursts |
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Aura |
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Active |
2004 |
A mission dedicated to the health of Earth's atmosphere |
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Deep Impact/EPOXI |
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Active |
2005 |
Mission to impact comet Tempel 1 to study comet Hartley 2 - main phases complete |
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Astromag FF |
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Active |
2005 |
Measure high energy particles |
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Astro-E2/Suzaku |
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Active |
2005 |
X-Ray observations (1 instrument failed) |
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) |
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Active |
2005 |
A multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct exploration of Mars from orbit |
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Venus Express |
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Active |
2005 |
Exploration of Venus from orbit |
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COROT (COnvection ROtation and planetary Transits) |
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Active |
2006 |
Mission to search for extrasolar planets and to perform asteroseismology, measuring solar-like oscillations in stars |
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AKARI |
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Active |
2006 |
AKARI (launched under the name ASTRO-F) is an infrared astronomy satellite |
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New Horizons |
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In transit |
2006 |
First mission to fly by and study the dwarf planet Pluto and its moons, Charon, Nix, and Hydra |
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Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) |
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Active |
2006 |
A mission looking at cloud cover |
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CloudSat |
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Active |
2006 |
A mission looking at the atmosphere |
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Hinode (Solar-B) |
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Active |
2006 |
Exploration of the Sun |
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AGILE |
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Active |
2007 |
Italian X-Ray and Gamma Ray Observatory |
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Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) |
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Active |
2007 |
AIM is a two-year mission to study Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs), the Earth’s highest clouds, which form an icy membrane 50 miles (80.4 km) above the surface at the edge of space |
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Dawn |
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Active |
2007 |
Studying the asteroid Vesta and (planned) dwarf planet Ceres |
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Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope/ GLAST |
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Active |
2008 |
Gamma Ray observatory |
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Planck |
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Active |
2009 |
Mapping Cosmic Microwave Background and check Hubble Constant |
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Herschel Space Observatory |
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Active |
2009 |
Far infrared to sub-millimetre observatory |
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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter |
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Active |
2009 |
Lunar study orbiter |
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Kepler |
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Active |
2009 |
search for extra-solar planets |
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Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) |
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Active |
2009 |
Infrared-sensitive telescope to provide an "all-sky" survey |
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Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) & Curiosity rover |
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In Transit |
2011 |
Rover exploration of Mars |
Space Science
It is sometimes hard to realise today, as we look at the latest images of some object that have been sent back from space, that our knowledge of even the planets in our solar system was virtually non existent a hundred years ago.
Today if someone advanced the theory that there were canals and life on Mars we would laugh but only fairly recently highly respected astronomers were advancing such theories and being taken seriously by both the public and the scientific community.
These pages are devoted to the astronomical research undertaken from space.
Subcategories
Iconic Missions
We are now so used to satellites being launched and doing numerous things for us, such as satellite television, it is sometimes hard to realise just how special space exploration used to be. Whilst the site contains general listings of current missions and past missions, these pages contain more detail on some which have been famous such as the Apollo and Voyager programmes.
Please use the links below to browse these pages.
Past Missions
Since the start of the space age satellites and probes have greatly enhanced our knowledge of astronomy.
Missions have gone to all the major planets except Pluto, and we are now starting to try and get samples returned to Earth from objects such as comets and asteroids
The missions on these pages are now over and it is interesting to note how things have changed over the decades. In the early years there were large numbers of missions which were very short and often failed. Today missions can last for several years and relatively few research probes are sent.
Please use the links below to browse the missions in each decade.
Planetary Exploration
Since the 1950’s and the start of space flight our knowledge of the planets of our solar system has been greatly expanded.
Some planets have been visited many times and have been landed upon such as Mars and Venus and some have been explored over long periods of time by orbiting satellites such as Jupiter. Others such as Neptune have been visited by just one probe. Pluto has never been visited, but even our knowledge of that distant world has been expanded by the better images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Probably the most famous of these missions is the two Voyager space craft. Launched in the 1970’s both passed Jupiter and Saturn and then Voyager one went on to study Uranus and Neptune. Even today, many years after launch, they are returning useful information as they head out of the solar system and explore the boundary with the interstellar medium.
Please use the links below for information on the exploration of the individual planets and their moons.