Download Missions To Planets In Our

UMEÅ UNIVERSITET
Institutionen för Fysik
Rymdfysik 7.5 hp.
2009-10-19
Missions To Planets In Our
Solar System
Project by
Maria Persson
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................3
Terrestrial Planets...................................................................................................................................................3
Venus..................................................................................................................................................................3
Mars.....................................................................................................................................................................4
Mercury................................................................................................................................................................6
Gas Giant Planets....................................................................................................................................................6
Jupiter..................................................................................................................................................................6
Saturn...................................................................................................................................................................8
Uranus..................................................................................................................................................................8
Neptune................................................................................................................................................................8
References................................................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Our Solar System is a place of beauty and mystery, incredible diversity, extreme environments, and
continuous change. It is also a natural laboratory, on a grand scale, within which we seek to unravel
the mysteries of the universe and our place within it.
When starting out in solar system exploration, the very first missions simply flew by the planets,
taking as many pictures as possible on their way past.
As knowledge and technologies grew spacecrafts were put in orbit, often together with a robotic
spacecraft designed to make scientific research measurements, called a space probe, to be released
into the atmosphere of the planet. The next goal, to put a lander or rover on the surface and being
mobile, it has been proven successful on Mars.
A flyby today, is often needed from the planets gravity, to reach more distance objects
The first space mission put into orbit around a planet was Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957 by the USSR.
Terrestrial Planets
Pic 1. Exploring a nearby terrestrial world to better understand our own. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and
Mars are called the terrestrial planets because they have solid rocky surfaces.
Venus
There has been abou 40 missions to, our “sister” planet Venus, many failed at launch or lost contact
on its way. The first attempt came from the Soviet Union with Sputnik 7 on February 4, 1961, it failed.
Venera 1 was the first mission in the Russian Venera-series, with destination Venus. between 1961
and 1983. Some missions comprised two identical spacecrafts, launched a few days appart.
Venera 1 was launched on Feb 12, 1961. It succeeded in being the first Venus probe to leave Earth
orbit, but contact was lost 7 days later.
Mariner 2 was one of the missions in an American series of spacecraft named Mariner, with
interplanetary probes designed to investigate Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Mariner 2, launched on Aug 27, 1962, was the first successful mission to another planet by any
country. It flew by Venus, scanning the planet's atmosphere and surface for 42 minutes.
Venera 7 launched on Aug 17, 1970. To prevent the landing capsule from being crushed far above the
ground as previous missions, it was designed to withstand pressures of up to 180 atmospheres and
temperatures as high as 540 °C.This was the first spacecraft to transmit data from the surface of
another planet. The probe sent data to Earth for 35 minutes in the atmosphere, but when the capsule
hit the ground, the data transmission appeared to be replaced by noise. Computer processing
revealed that this noise contained nearly 23 minutes of additional information.
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Venera 9 launched on June 8, 1975. The Venera 9 orbiter became the first spacecraft to go into orbit
around Venus. Its lander separated on Oct 20, 1975, and sat down two days later at the base of a hill.
During its 53 minutes of transmissions from the surface, Venera 9 took and transmitted the very first
picture of the Venusian surface from a height of 90 centimeters. These were the very first photos
received of the surface of another planet. .
Venera 13 launched on Oct 30, 1981. The lander set down on the Venusian surface on 1 March 1982
and had a planned lifetime of 32 minutes, but it continued to transmit for another 127 minutes. Eight
successive panoramas showing a field of orange-brown rocks and loose soil, these were the first
color-photos of the surface of Venus. Successful soil analysis showed soil similar to terrestrial leucitic
basalt with high potassium content. Of the Venera-series 16 missions, 10 landed successfully on
Venus and transmitted data from the surface.
Magellan launched on May 5, 1989. Magellan was the first deep space probe launched by the
United States in almost eleven years. Magellan mapped 98 percent of Venus surface. Found that 85
percent of the surface is covered with volcanic flows and showed evidence of tectonic movement.
Magellan also tested a maneuvering technique called aerobraking, using atmospheric drag to adjust
its orbit. Contact was lost on Oct 12, 1994 as the spacecraft was commanded to plunge into the
atmosphere to gather aerodynamic data.
Venus express launched on Nov 9, 2005. Venus Express is the European Space Agency's first
mission to Venus, and its primary goal is to study the atmosphere in great detail
Venus Express entered the Venusian orbit on April 11, 2006, after a 153-day cruise to Venus. It has
revealed astonishing details of the planet's dynamic cloud system, including its striking double-eyed
atmospheric vortex that dominates its southpole. Venus Express has also detected water molecules
escaping into space, found concrete evidence for lightning in the Venusian atmosphere, and provided
infrared glimpses of the hot surface. The mission has been extended twice, that lasts until 31
December 2009.
Mars
So far, about 40 missions to Mars, the first attempt came from the Soviet Union, a flyby mission,
launched on Oct 10, 1960. It never reached Earth orbit.
Mars 1 was one of the missios in a series named Mars, by the Soviet Union.
Mars 1 was launched on Nov 1, 1962 and became the first spacecraft successfully launched by any
nation to fly past Mars. Due to a malfunction, contact was lost.
Mariner 4 Mariner 4 was launched on Nov 28, 1964 It captured 21 Black and white images of the
Martian surface, these were the first pictures taken of another planet from space.
Mars 2 launched on May 19, 1971. This was a mission with both an orbiter and a lander to be
released to the surface. Unfortunately, the lander entered the atmosphere too steep and crashed.
Mars 3, the twin of Mars 2, was launched on May 28, 1971. This lander was the first to achieve a
survivable landing on the Martian surface. It began transmitting a TV image of the surface, but stopped
permanently after only 20 seconds. The orbiter stayed in Mars orbit until contact was lost in July 1972.
Mariner 9 launched on May 30, 1971. Became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. It mapped
85 percent of the Martian surface at a resolution of 1 to 2 km. More than 7,000 images was transmitted
including the first views of the the polar caps, Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system
and Valles Marineris, a big canyon system that was named after this spacecraft.
The Viking Mars mission was also a two spacecrafts mission, Viking 1 launched on Aug 20, 1975
and captured into orbit on June 19, 1976. Viking 2 launched on Sept 9, 1975 and captured into orbit
on Aug 7, 1976. The orbiters imaged the entire planet, conducted atmospheric water vapor
measurements and infrared thermal mapping. The Viking landers gave us the first panoramic wiev and
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collected and analyzed samples of the Martian soil. The Viking missions revealed further details of
volcanoes, lava plains, huge canyons, and the effects of wind and water.
Mars Global Surveyor Launched on Nov 7, 1996 arrived on Mars Sept 11,1997.
This was the first successful mission to Mars in two decades.
It has studied the entire Martian surface, its atmosphere and interior until contact was lost Nov 14,
2006. Observed that the red planet had repeatable weather patterns, and that it does not have a
global magnetic field, only localized magnetic fields in particular areas of the crust. It also observed
diminishing amounts of carbon dioxide ice within the south polar cap.
Mars Pathfinder Launched on Dec 4, 1996. They used a method of directly entering the Martian
atmosphere, having a giant system of airbags to cushion the impact. Findings from both the lander
and the rover, named Sojourner, suggested that Mars was at one time both warm and wet, with water
existing in its liquid state and a thicker atmosphere. Mars Pathfinder returned 2.3 billion bits of
information until Sept 27, 1997.
Mars Odyssey Launched on April 7, 2001 reached Mars on October 24, 2001.
It used a process called aerobraking, the spacecraft skimmed the surface of the Martian atmosphere
332 times over nearly three months to slow down. Primary mission was to map the Martian surface
and search for signs of water-ice on the surface. This continued through Aug 2004 and Odyssey is
currently in its extended mission, orbiting Mars. It also serves as a communications relay for the Mars
Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) and future missions.
Mars Express launched June 2, 2003 has been orbiting the Red Planet since the end of 2003. It
is the first European mission to Mars. The mission’s design is the same as Venus Express, and the
main objective is to search for sub-surface water from orbit. The spacecraft carries the first radar
instrument ever flown to Mars, which shows underground water-ice deposits. The mission has been
extended three times, the latest until 31 Dec. 2009. Mars Express also carried a lander, Beagle 2,
which was released Dec 19, 2003. Unfortunately, lost on the day it entered the Martian atmosphere.
The Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Spirit was launched on June 10, 2003 and arrived on
January 3, 2004. Opportunity was launched on July 7, 2003 and arrived on January 24, 2004.
The two robotic geologists landed on opposite sides of the red planet. Airbags inflated to cushion their
landings and after bouncing and rolling around they were brought to an upright position so they could
drve onto the Martian surface. Carrying identical sets of science instruments, both rovers have found
evidence that habitable conditions existed in the past. They have sent more than 100,000 highresolution, full-color images as well as information about the Martian and soil. Today both rovers are
still working and have far exceeded their initial 90-day life on Mars.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Launched in August 2005, arrived on March 10, 2006. This
mission is carrying the most powerful camera ever flown on a planetary mission to reveal details of
Mars with extraordinary clarity, down to the size of a dinner plate. It carries a sounder to find
subsurface water, and it also serves as the first installment of an "interplanetary Internet," for future
spacecraft.
Phoenix Launched on Aug 3, 2007 Arrived on May 25, 2008
The landing site is farther north than any previous mission, equivalent to northern Alaska on Earth.
This mission used a robotic arm to dig down to an ice-rich layer and check samples of evidence about
whether the site was ever hospitable to life. Phoenix analyzed soil-samples for carbon-containing
compounds that are essential ingredients of life. Phoenix also scanned the atmosphere up to 20
kilometers in altitude to enhance our understanding of Martian atmospheric processes.
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Mercury
Only 2 missions have reached for Mercury. Like Earth, Mercury has a global internal magnetic field,
but no atmosphere.
Mariner 10 Launched on Nov 3, 1973. This was the first spacecraft to visit Mercury, and the first
spacecraft to use the gravitational pull of one planet (Venus) to reach another (Mercury). Placed into
orbit around the Sun, going in the opposite direction from Earth's orbit, it intercepted with Mercury
three times, Mars 29, 1974 and Sept 21, 1974 and Mars 16, 1975. Mariner 10 imaged about half the
planet. Mercury was shown to have no atmosphere, a cratered Moon-like surface, a small magnetic
field and a relatively large iron-rich core.
Mariner 10 was the last mission in the Mariner series. 7 of them were successful. The planned Mariner
11 and 12 vehicles evolved into Voyager 1 and 2.
MESSENGER Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging, was launched
on Aug 3, 2004. It is designed to orbit Mercury for one Earth-year, studying the exosphere,
magnetosphere and the chemical composition of the surface. It flew by Earth on Aug 2, 2005 at an
altitude of 2347 km. Venus flyby on Oct 24, 2006 and a second time on June 5, 2007. Three Mercury
flybys, all at roughly 200 km altitude, occurred on 14 January 2008, 6 October 2008 and the third on
29 September 2009 at 21:54:58 UT at a distance of 228 km. Orbit insertion will take place on 18
March 2011. Some impact craters on Mercury have non-circular, irregularly shaped depressions or
pits on their floors. Such craters have been termed pit-floor craters, and MESSENGER team members
have suggested that such pits formed by the collapse of subsurface magma chambers. If this
suggestion is correct, the pits are evidence of volcanic processes Now, after third flyby, we have a
nearly total coverage of Mercury's surface with the exception of the polar-regions at latitudes above
60° N or below -60° S.
Gas Giant Planets
Pic 2. Jupiter and Saturn, are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Uranus and Neptune are
sometimes called ice giants, as they are mostly composed of water, ammonia, and methane;
Jupiter
8 missions have visited Jupiter so far, at least two more is planned within a near future.
Pioneer 10 launched on Mars 2, 1972 had a series of unmatched firsts: It was the first to use allnuclear electrical power, the first spacecraft to fly beyond Mars, the first to fly through the asteroid belt,
the first to fly past Jupiter, the first human-made object to fly beyond the orbit of the outermost known
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planet in our solar system and the first vehicle placed on a trajectory to escape the solar system into
interstellar space.
Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft intended to fly by Jupiter, surviving the intense radiation that
surrounds the giant planet and then be put on a trajectory that would take it out of the Solar System.
As it passed Jupiter, with closest approach on Dec 3, 1973, it transmitted hundreds of photos of the
planet and its moons, along with measurements of the Jovian atmosphere. Now the spacecraft is
generally heading in the direction of a star that forms the eye of the Taurus constellation, Alderbaran.
It is expected to pass this star in about two million years, and in case of an intercept by intelligent life,
Pioneer 10 carries an aluminum plaque with diagrams of a man and a woman, the solar system, and
its location relative to 14 pulsars. Pioneer 10 is flying toward the tail of the Solar System's
heliomagnetosphere. The spacecrafts signal was last detected on Jan 23, 2003.
Pioneer 11 launched on April 5, 1973 used a gravity-assist from Jupiter on Dec 2, 1974 to reach
Saturn. Like its twin, Pioneer 11 is also carrying a plaque, depicting life on Earth.
Voyager 1 launched on Sept 5, 1977. As it flew by Jupiter on Mars 5, 1979, it tracked wind
speeds and turbulent storms in the atmosphere and confirmed that Jupiter has a magnetotail.
Voyager 1 was placed on a faster trajectory than its twin, which brought it to Jupiter four months ahead
of Voyager 2.
It is now the most distant human-made object in existence, and returned an historic "family portrait" of
nearly all the planets in our solar system. This first ever "portrait" of the solar system, taken from more
than 6.4 billion kilometers away from Earth.
Voyager 2 launched on Aug 20, 1977 was privileged the “Grand Tour” of our outer solar system
to visit all four gas giants. It primary mission was to take over if Voyager 1 failed or made a discovery
that needed a closer look. Voyager 2 had its closest approach to Jupiter on 9 July 1979 and returned
rich images of the planet, its rings, and satellites.
Ulysses, its primary target was the Sun. Ulysses used Jupiter's gravity to hurl it onto the
correct trajectory. It reached Jupiter on 8 Feb 1992. After a seventeen-day period, passing through
and studying the Jovian system, the spacecraft headed downwards and back to the Sun.
Galileo launched on Oct 18, 1989. Used a gravity-assist of Venus in Feb 1990 and Earth in
Dec 1990 and again in Dec 1992. Galileo released an atmospheric probe on July 13, 1995, when the
spacecraft was still 85 million kilometers from Jupiter. The probe hit the atmosphere on Dec 7, 1995
and returned valuable data for 58 minutes as it plunged into the Jovian cauldron, indicating an intense
radiation belt above Jupiter's clouds, helium in about the same concentration as the sun, few organic
compounds and winds as high as 640 meters per second. This probe became the first to sample the
atmosphere of a gas planet. The orbiter was captured into orbit around Jupiter on Dec 8, 1995 and
mission ended by an impact with Jupiter on Sept 21, 2003.
Cassini-Huygens used a flyby of Jupitet on Dec 30, 2000, to provid the final push to
get the spacecraft to Saturn. Cassini performed simultaneous observations of the planet with the
Galileo orbiter during the Jupiter encounter.
New Horizon launched on Jan 19, 2006. The flyby on Feb 28, 2007 put the spacecraft on a
trajectory toward Pluto. New Horizon came within about 32 Jovian radii of Jupiter at 21 km/s and
observed the Jupiter system for a period of 4 month. Flyby of Pluto and its moon Charon will occur
nominally on 14 July 2015 when New Horizons is on its way out to flyby the Kuiper Belt. Pluto and Eris
were the first worlds to be classified as Plutoids, a special class of dwarf planets that orbit our Sun in
the icy region beyond the orbit of Neptune.
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Saturn
Pioneer 11 launched on April 5, 1973 was the first spacecraft to visit Saturn, and had its closest
approach on Sept 1, 1979. Took close-up pictures and discovered an additional ring. The power
source for the spacecraft was exhausted and the mission ended 30 Sept 1995 and contact was lost in
Nov 1995. Pioneer 11 is flying toward the nose of the heliosphere in an upstream direction relative to
the inflowing interstellar gas. This is the opposite direction from Pioneer 10.
Voyager 1’s flyby of Saturn had its closest approach Nov 12, 1980. Voyager 1 found new moons
and a ring system consisting of thousands of bands and discovered a new ring. Following the
encounter with Saturn, Voyager 1 headed on a trajectory escaping the solar system 35˚ out of the
ecliptic plane to the north.
Voyager 2's second stop in its Grand Tour of the outer solar system was on Aug 26, 1981.
Cassini-Huygens launched on Oct 15, 1997 it comprised the Cassini orbiter and the
Huygens probe, to be released into, Saturns moon, Titans atmosphere. Cassini-Huygens mission is a
cooperative project between NASA, ESA and the Italian Space Agency.
To reach Saturn, four flybys were required. Venus in April 1998 and June 1999. Earth in Aug 1999 and
Jupiter in Dec 2000.
During conjunktion periods, the radiosignal to and from Cassini passes very near the sun on its way
from and to Earth, this gave an opportunity for unique science in 2002. They made an exquisitely
accurate test of Einstein’s theory of relativity, which was published in Nature 2003.
Cassini was captured into Saturn orbit on 1 July 2004,
Cassini completed its initial four-year mission in June 2008, and is now working overtime on the
Cassini Equinox Mission throughout September 2010.
The name originates from the Saturnian equinox which occured on August 11, 2009 when the sun was
shining directly, edge-on, on the equator and then beginns to elluminate the northern hemisphere and
the rings northern face. Cassini will observe seasonal changes due to changing sun angle which
where from the south during the missions first four years. They belived the rings were almost
completly flat, but during the planets equinox dust clouds and bumps where revealed, some as high as
the rocky mountains.
Uranus
Voyager 2 had its third encounter on the Grand Tour on Jan 24,1986 at a distance of 107,000
kilometers from the planet's center. Ten new moons were imaged, in addition to the five moons
already known.
Neptune
Voyager 2 ended its 12 year long Grand Tour of the outer solar system, with a visit to Neptune
on Aug 24, 1989. Voyager 2 skimmed the north pole of Neptune at 4800 kilometers, and determined
basic characteristics of Neptune and its largest moon Triton: color, cloud-top features, size, mass,
composition, temperature, and rotation rate. Voyager 2 found six new Neptunian moons and three new
rings plus a broad sheet of ring material. Unexpectedly, geysers of gaseous nitrogen were found on
the largest moon, Triton. Neptune's magnetic field is tilted 47 degrees with respect to the rotational
axis, and offset from the center of the planet by half the planet's radius.
According to recent data transmitted from the Voyager 2 spacecraft, the solar system is not round, but
has an asymmetric, squashed shape.Today Voyager 2 continues its journey toward interstellar space,
diving below the ecliptic plane.
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Pic 3. “Family portrait” by Voyager 1 at a distance of 6,3 billion kilometer from Earth.
Mercury is too close to the Sun to be seen.
Mars was not detectable due to scattered sunlight in the optics.
References
[1] http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm
[2] http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary
[3] http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/overview
[4] http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag
[5] http://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag
[6] http://www.nasaimages.org
[7] http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/cassiniinsider/insider20090923
[8] http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/detail/iau0804
[9] http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=24655
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