EXPLORATION / 04MISSIONS
MISSIONS
THAT CHANGED
OUR VIEW.
From the interstellar Voyager probes to new journeys toward ocean worlds. The history of exploration is a history of questions sent into space.
004 / 006Original artistic visualization, not scientific photography.
MISSION LOG / 1977—2024
A SELECTED CHRONOLOGY
A few defining milestones, not a complete catalog of space missions.
1977
01 / ARCHIVED MISSION
Voyager 1
Launched September 5. In 2012 it crossed the heliopause and entered interstellar space.
NASA / Voyager 1 ↗01
1990
02 / ARCHIVED MISSION
Hubble
The space telescope launched on April 24, transforming observational astronomy.
NASA / Hubble ↗02
1997
03 / ARCHIVED MISSION
Cassini–Huygens
The journey toward Saturn began October 15 and concluded in 2017.
NASA / Cassini–Huygens ↗03
2021
04 / ARCHIVED MISSION
Perseverance
The rover landed in Jezero crater on February 18 to investigate evidence of ancient microbial life.
NASA / Perseverance ↗04
2021
05 / ARCHIVED MISSION
James Webb
The infrared space telescope launched December 25. Its first full-color images were released in 2022.
NASA / James Webb ↗05
2024
06 / ARCHIVED MISSION
Europa Clipper
Launched October 14 toward Jupiter’s icy moon Europa; arrival in the Jupiter system is planned for 2030.
NASA / Europa Clipper ↗06