History of Space Exploration

There are things that are known and things that are unknown; in between is exploration. -Anonymous

Space History

• Space History Introduction
• Rocket History
• Early Astronauts
• Automated Spacecraft
• Hypothetical Planets

Historical Publications

• The Martian Landscape
• Viking Orbiter Views of Mars
• On Mars: Exploration of the Red Planet 1958-1978
• Apollo: Expeditions to the Moon
• Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft
• The First Lunar Landing: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft
• Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions

Space Exploration Chronology

• By Date
• By Planetary Body
• Chronology of Solar System Discovery

Spacecraft Mission Summaries

This is a partial list of past, present, and future planetary and solar missions; for a complete account, please see the Space Exploration Chronology. Space exploration is becoming increasingly internationalized; as a result, the national designations listed here are not completely representative of the true nature of all projects.

U.S. Missions

• Apollo Landing Missions
  • Apollo: Expeditions to the Moon
  • Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft
  • Prologue
  • Spacecraft, Suits, and Rovers
  • Precursors to the Landing Missions
  • Apollo 11, Apollo 12, Apollo 13, Apollo 14, Apollo 15, Apollo 16, Apollo 17
  • Epilogue: When might we go back to the Moon?
  • Apollo Lunar Surface Journal

• Robotic Spacecraft
  • Mariner Missions
    • Mariner 2, Mariner 4, Mariner 5, Mariner 6 & 7, Mariner 9, Mariner 10
  • Ranger to the Moon (1964 - 1965)
    • Ranger 7, Ranger 8, Ranger 9
  • Lunar Orbiter (1966-1967)
    • Lunar Orbiter 1, Lunar Orbiter 2, Lunar Orbiter 3, Lunar Orbiter 4, Lunar Orbiter 5
  • Surveyor
  • Pioneer 10 & 11
  • Viking
    • Project Viking Fact Sheet
  • Voyager
    • The Voyager Planetary Mission
      • Voyager Jupiter Science Summary
      • Voyager Saturn Science Summary
      • Voyager Neptune Science Summary
      • Voyager Uranus Science Summary
  • Solar Maximum Mission
  • Magellan
  • Galileo
  • Clementine to the Moon
  • NEAR
  • Mars Global Surveyor
  • Mars Pathfinder Spacecraft
  • Mars Pathfinder Rover
  • Cassini/Huygens
    • Cassini Fact Sheet
  • Lunar Prospector
  • IMAGE
  • Deep Space 1
  • Mars Climate Orbiter
  • Mars Polar Lander
  • Deep Space 2
  • Stardust
  • 2001 Mars Odyssey
  • Mars Exploration Rovers
    • Mars Spirit Rover
    • Mars Opportunity Rover
  • New Horizons Pluto Kuiper Belt Flyby
  • MESSENGER
  • Phoenix Mars Lander
  • Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
  • Dawn
  • Mars Science Laboratory

USSR/Russia Missions

• Luna Mission Summaries, 1959 - 1976
  • Luna 2, Luna 3, Luna 9, Luna 10, Luna 11, Luna 12, Luna 13, Luna 14, Luna 16, Luna 17, Luna 19, Luna 20, Luna 21, Luna 22, Luna 24.
• Zond Mission Summaries, 1965 - 1970
  • Zond 3, Zond 5, Zond 6, Zond 7, Zond 8.
• Phobos
• Mars 96
• Venera Mission Summaries, 1967 - 1983
  • Venera 4, Venera 5, Venera 6, Venera 7, Venera 8, Venera 9, Venera 10, Venera 11, Venera 12, Venera 13, Venera 14, Venera 15 & 16

European Missions

• Giotto
• Ulysses
• SOHO
• Cassini/Huygens
• Rosetta

China National Space Missions

• Chang'e 1

Japanese Missions

• Sakigake
• Nozomi (Planet-B)
• Suisei
• Yohkoh

Spacecraft Home Pages for Current and Future Missions

• SOHO - The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
• Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
• Cassini: Voyage to Saturn
• Voyager Project Home Page
• Project Galileo (JPL) - Home Page
• Ulysses Home Page
• Mars Exploration Home Page

Educator Guides

• Educator's Guide to Robotic Spacecraft
• Educator's Guide to Spotting the Shuttle

Additional History Resources

• Basics of Space Flight (JPL)
• Apollo Lunar Surface Journal
• NASA Historical Space Archive