At the height of the cold war, the world was captivated by a faint beeping sound emitting from space. The date was Oct. 4 1957, and those faint little beeps were radio signals from by the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 1; the world’s first manmade satellite to orbit the earth. The launch of Sputnik 1 marked the start of the Space Age. The cold war is over, the Soviet Union is no more but humankind’s exploration of space continues, our spacecrafts are now reaching the very edges of our solar system. This timeline represents the major milestones in space exploration, from the launch of Sputnik 1 to scheduled launch of the Ares 1-X rocket on Oct 19, 2009, NASA’s next generation spacecraft. This timeline was created by the Agenda’s David Erwin and edited by Mike Miner. If you have any events that you think should be included in the timeline, please send an email to derwin@tvo.org. Sources: About.com Absolute Astronomy Astronautix NASA Space.com The Canadian Space Agency The European Space Agency The New York Times The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency The Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Russian Federal Space Agency The New York Times University of CalTech University of Toronto About.com Absolute Astronomy Wikipedia (Data sourcing) - Time Line References: BBC Space Exploration Timeline NASA Space Exploration Timeline The Space Race - Timeline of Space Exploration Time Line of Space Exploration
Created by TheAgenda on Oct 6, 2009
Last updated: 10/31/10 at 04:45 PM
Tags: Space Exploaration Science Q2C The Agenda with Steve Paikin
If you would like to contribute to this timeline, please email derwin@tvo.org. The Agenda with Steve PaikinWebsite Programs Blogs Map CollectionFollow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Sources: About.com Absolute Astronomy Astronautix NASA Space.com The Canadian Space Agency The European Space Agency The New York Times The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency The Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Russian Federal Space Agency The New York Times University of CalTech University of Toronto About.com Absolute Astronomy Wikipedia (Data sourcing) - Time Line References: BBC Space Exploration Timeline NASA Space Exploration Timeline The Space Race - Timeline of Space Exploration Time Line of Space Exploration
The slender 100m-tall rocket, which is designed to replace the aging space shuttle, blasts off at 11.30am local time from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. - The flight test lasts about six minutes until splashdown of the rocket's booster stage nearly 150 miles downrange. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/index.html - The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/28/nasa-ares-1x-rocket-launch - Image Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/389936main_arestall-226.jpg
The Agenda with Steve Paikin spends an hour discussing the future of space exploration. - Commitment to space travel has ebbed and flowed. Physicist Stephen Hawking believes the way to ensure human survival is to continue space exploration. Critics of space travel argue that Planet Earth is in dire need of our attention and resources. For more on our guests go to TVO.org: http://bit.ly/4sssYa
The United States launches the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite. (LCROSS). Its main mission is the search for water on the moon. - LCROSS will send a rocket crashing into the moon causing am impact crater, throwing tons of debris and potentially water ice and vapor above the lunar surface. The two main components of the LCROSS mission are the Shepherding Spacecraft (S-S/C) and the Centaur upper stage rocket. - The Centaur and the Shepherding Spacecraft impacts the Moon on Oct. 9, 2009.The data is currently (Oct. 13, 2009) under analyses. - Source: NASA http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/mission.htm
The United States launches the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The LRO mission is a precursor to future manned missions to the moon by NASA. To this end a detailed mapping program will identify safe landing sites, locate potential resources on the moon, characterize the radiation environment, and demonstrate new technology. - The LRO was first American mission to the Moon in over ten years. It also included the Lunar Crater Observation module. Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/overview/index.html Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Reconnaissance_Orbiter - Image Source: NASA http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA12072.jpg
India launches The Chandrayann-1 spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study the origins of the Moon. It discovers the widespread presence of water molecules in the lunar soil - Chandrayaan-1 is India’s first satellite to leave Earth’s orbit. The Chandrayaan-1’s mission terminates early with a lost of signal in July of 2009. - Source: Planetray.org http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/chandrayaan_1/ - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Water_Around_Fresh_Moon_Crater.jpg
The United States launches the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Its primary mission is to map the boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space. - The IBEX spacecraft makes the first observations of fast hydrogen atoms coming from the Moon, following decades of speculation and searching for their existence. - Source: Astronomy http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=8387 NASA http://ibex.swri.edu/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/IBEX.jpg/600px-IBEX.jpg
The United States launches the Fermi Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope (formerly GLAST). Its primary mission is to perform an all-sky survey studying astrophysical and cosmological phenomena such as supermassive black holes, merging neutron stars, and dark matter. - The Fermi Gamma-ray Large Area Telescope is an international mission involving the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Sweden. - Source: NASA http://fermi.gsfc.nasa.gov/ - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/08pd1642.jpg/401px-08pd1642.jpg
Installation begins of the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (referred to as Dextre) on the International Space Station. - Dextre is a smaller two-armed robot capable of handling the delicate assembly tasks currently handled by astronauts during space walks. It is the final and third stage of the International Space Station’s Mobile Servicing Station. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/mss.html - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Dextre_on_ISS.jpg
China launches the Chang’e 1 spacecraft. It is China’s first lunar mission. It maps the entire surface of the moon. - Chang’e 1 terminates its mission through lunar impact on March 1, 2009. - Source: Planetray.org http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/chang_e_1/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/The_launch_of_Change_1,_Xichang_Satellite_Center,_China.jpg
The United States launches the Dawn spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study the solar systems earliest epoch by investigating two of largest protoplanets (Vesta and Ceres) residing in the asteroid belt. - Dawn uses an ion propulsion drive, first tested by Deep Space 1 spacecraft in 1998. Dawn will be the first spacecraft to visit Vesta and Deres, arriving at Vesta in August of 2012. - Source: NASA http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/ - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/121636/dawn_spacecraft.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The Japanese Space Agency launches the Selene spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study the geology and geophysics of the Moon. It returns the first high definition movies from beyond Earth orbit. - Selene is comprised of a main orbiter and two smaller satellites, Okina and Ouna. It terminates its mission through lunar impact on June 10, 2009. - Source: Planetray.org http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/kaguya/ - Image Source: NASA http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA10244.jpg
The United States launches the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories (STEREO). STEREO is comprised of two space-based observatories – one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The primary mission is to observe the structure and evolution of Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) - CMEs ejected into space by the sun can cause magnetic storms affecting communication systems, power grids, and astronauts in space. - Source: NASA http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ - Image Source: NASA http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA09333.jpg
Japan launches the Hinode (Solar-B) spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study the magnetic activity of the Earth’s sun, including its generation and transfer of energy. - The Hinode spacecraft is an international project involving Japan, the United States, and Great Britain. Data obtained from the Hinode leads scientists to believe the dim areas at the edges of the active regions of the sun may hold the key to understanding how the sun converts energy from its surface into solar wind. - Source: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency http://www.isas.ac.jp/e/enterp/missions/hinode/index.shtml NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/solar-b/ - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-10-NA/84963/Hinode_2006324_lrg.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=10&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=Earth_Observatory_(nasa)-10-Admin&profileid=46
The United States launches the Space Technology 5 (ST5) micro-satellites. The ST5 Project is part of the New Millennium Program (NMP). NMP is created to identify, develop, build, and test innovative technologies and concepts for infusion into future missions. - The mission concludes in June of 2006. The mission proves the operational value of several new technologies including an innovative communications technology that NASA may integrate into future missions. - Source: NASA http://nmp.nasa.gov/st5/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Space_Technology_5.jpg
The United States launches the New Horizons spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study dwarf planet Pluto and its moons. - The New Horizons spacecraft Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/122110/NewHorizons_Pluto.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The European Space Agency launches the Venus Express Spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study the atmosphere, the plasma environment, and the surface of Venus. - The Venus Express spacecraft arrives at Venous on April 11, 2006. It provides new evidence that solar wind has carried away significant quantities of water from the surface of Venus. Source: European Space Agency http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=64 - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/122114/VenusExpress.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The United States launches the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Its primary mission is to perform an orbital study and exploration of Mars. The main objective is to find proof that water persisted on the surface for long duration of time. - The MRO is inserted in the Martian orbit on March 10, 2006. - Source: NASA http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/ - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/121893/MRO.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The Voyager 1 spacecraft becomes the first space probe to cross the termination shock region of space and enter the heliosheath. - The termination shock region is located at the start of the solar system's final frontier, a vast, turbulent expanse where the Sun's influence ends and the solar wind crashes into the thin gas between stars. The heliosheath is the region beyond the termination shock. Here the wind is slowed, compressed and made turbulent by its interaction with the interstellar medium - Voyager 1 is expected to cross into interstellar space in 2015, becoming the first man-made object ever to leave the Sun’s orbit. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/voyager_agu.html - Image Source: NASA http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/images/v2_ts_image.jpg
SpaceShipOne wins the Ansari X Prize competition, a competition to build the first non-government reusable manned spacecraft and launch it into space. - The winner must be able to fly twice into space within two weeks. On Oct. 4 2004, SpaceShipOne performs its second flight, exceeding an altitude of 328,000 feet. - Source: X Prize Foundation http://www.xprize.org/ - Image Source: Scaled Composites http://www.scaled.com/images/ttop.jpg
The United States launches the Mercury Surface, Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Its primary mission is to perform the first orbital study of the atmosphere and surface of the planet Mercury. It is the first mission to Mercury in over thirty years. - Messenger is scheduled for orbital insertion on March 18, 2011. - Source: NASA http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/ - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/121585/MESSENGER_Instr.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
SpaceShipOne performs the first manned private space flight. SpaceShipOne is the first privately financed and built spacecraft. - Source: Scaled Composites http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/ - Image Source: Scaled Composites http://www.scaled.com/images/ttop.jpg
The European Space Agency launches the Rosetta spacecraft. Its primary mission is to study and land on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It is expected to arrive at the comet in 2014. - The Rosetta spacecraft consist of two main stages: The Rosetta space probe and the Philae lander. If the mission is successful, it will be the first time a spacecraft has every soft-landed on a comet. Rosetta is conducting observations of two asteroids as it approaches Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. - Source: European Space Agency http://www.esa.int/esaMI/Rosetta/ESA38F7708D_0.html - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Rosetta_philae.jpg
China launches the manned Shenzhou 5 rocket with Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei. China becomes the third country in the world to have independent human spaceflight capability after the Soviet Union and the United States. - Source: Astronautix http://www.astronautix.com/articles/shefacts.htm Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhou_5 - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Long_March_2F_Carrier_Rocket_-_Shenzhou_5.JPG Image Credit: AAxanderr
The European Space Agency launches the Small Missions for Advance Research in Technology (SMART-1) spacecraft. Its main mission is to test deep space technologies including a solar-powered ion thruster - The second objective of the SMART-1 is to study the surface of the Moon and search for the presence of frozen water. Its mission terminates when the spacecraft impacts on the lunar surface (Sept. 2006) in an effort to determine the presence of ice. - Source: European Space Agency http://www.esa.int/esaMI/SMART-1/SEMSDE1A6BD_0.html - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/SMART-1.jpg
The United States launches the Spitzer Space Telescope. It is the largest-diameter infrared telescope in space. It discovered the largest ring (Oct. 2009) around Saturn. - The Spitzer Space Telescope is the fourth and final of NASA’s four “Great Observatories” and followed the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. - Source: NASA http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/about/index.shtml - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Spitzer-_Telescopio.jpg/386px-Spitzer-_Telescopio.jpg
The United States launches the Mars Exploration Rover-B spacecraft, commonly referred to as the Opportunity Rover. Its main mission is to search for and characterize a wide range of Martian rocks and soils that would indicate past water activity on the planet. It is the first rover to discover asteroids on another planet. - The Mars Rover is the second of two rovers that are part of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. It lands on Mars in January of 2004, three weeks after the Spirit Rover. - The Opportunity rover surpasses it mission objectives and operates much longer than ever expected. It has recently encountered (Oct. 2009) its second meteorite on the planet. - Source: NASA http://marsrover.nasa.gov/overview/ - Image Source: NASA http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6u3dJf65tsI/Sk7LAUEsj6I/AAAAAAAAKfs/E9bAFkR4TdE/s288/MER_Mars_Rover.jpg
The Canadian Space Agency launches (via a Russian rocket) the Micorvariabiltiy & Oscillations of Stars (MOST) satellite. It is Canada’s first space telescope. The main mission of the MOST satellite is to monitor variations in star light. - The MOST is the first spacecraft to detect a previously unknown class of variable stars, the B Supergiants. - Source: The University of British Columbia http://www.astro.ubc.ca/MOST/science.html#glance - Image Source: University of Toronto, Institute for Aerospace Studies http://www.engineering.utoronto.ca/Assets/nts/page_24/images/2409897_news_most_modelsm.jpg.jpg
The United States launches the Mars Exploration Rover-A spacecraft, commonly referred to as the Spirit Rover. Its main mission is to search for and characterize a wide range of Martian rocks and soils that indicate past water activity on the planet. - The Mars Spirit is the first of two rovers that are part of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. It lands on Mars in January of 2004. In May 2009, Spirit becomes stuck in soft soil and is unable to free itself. Spirit surpassed its mission objectives and has operated much longer than ever expected. - Source: NASA http://marsrover.nasa.gov/overview/ - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Mars_Spirit.jpg
The European Space Agency launches the Mars Express spacecraft. Its main mission is to take images of the entire surface of Mars, study the atmosphere, the surface, and sub-surface of the planet. - The Mars Express also includes the Beagle 2, a lander designed to study the surface of the planet. Beagle 2 fails to land safely and its mission is terminated. The Mars Express Orbiter continues to function and collect data. - European Space Agency http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMFU55V9ED_0.html - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size3/NVA2-13-NA/24103/mars-express-volcanoes_br.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=3&servertype=JVA&cid=13&iid=NVA2&vcid=NA&usergroup=NASA_Mars_Collecton-13-Admin&profileid=61
Japan launches the Haybusa spacecraft. Its main mission is to collect and study samples from near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa. - Haybusa arrives at asteroid 25143 Itokawa in September of 2005. Two months later it attempts to land on the asteroid’s surface but fails to complete the mission. However, asteroid dust may have been collected by the spacecraft. Hayabusa is scheduled to return to Earth in 2010. - Source: Planetary.org http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/hayabusa/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Hayabusa_hover.jpg
The American Space Shuttle Colombia explodes during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. All crew members are killed. - Colombia is the second Space Shuttle to be destroyed in flight. The disaster delays shuttle launches for the next two years. - Source: NASA http://history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_launching.jpg
The Canadian Mobile Base System (MBS) is installed on the International Space Station. - The MBS is a work platform that moves along rails covering the length of the space station, it provides lateral mobility for the Canadarm2 as it traverses the main trusses. - The Mobile Base System is the second major component of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) which is essential to the construction, maintenance and servicing of the International Space Station. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/mss.html Canada Online http://canadaonline.about.com/od/canadaspace/a/mobilebase.htm - Image Source: NASA http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/IMAGES/THUMB/0201909.jpg
The United States launches Reuven Ramaty High Energy Spectroscopic Imager. Its main mission is the study of solar flares. - Source: NASA http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/hessi/index.html - Image Source: NASA http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/hessi/hessi2a_crop.jpg
The United States launches the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). Its mission is to study cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation; the residual radiation left over from the Big Bang. CMB is the oldest light in the universe. - WMAP is used to help determine that the age of the universe (13.73 billion years) and its data reveals that the universe is composed of 4.6% baryons (ordinary atoms), 23.3% dark matter, and 72.1% dark energy. - Source: NASA http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/WMAP_spacecraft.jpg
Dennis Tito becomes the first private citizen to visit the International Space Station. - Tito pays a reported $20 million dollars for his nearly 8 day stay on the International Space Station; roughly $2.5 million dollars a night. - Source: MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077967/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Dennis_Tito.jpg/775px-Dennis_Tito.jpg
Canadarm2 is installed on the International Space Station. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency and Scott Parazynski of NASA perform two space walks to install the new 17.6-meter (57.7-foot) robotic arm. - This robotic system plays a key role in space station assembly and maintenance: moving equipment and supplies around the station, supporting astronauts working in space. Canadarm2 is the first stage of the International Space Station’s Mobile Servicing Station (MSS). The MMS also includes the Mobile Base System and the Special Purpose Dexeterous Manipulator which are installed on subsequent missions. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/mss.html - Image Source: NASA http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/STS-114_Steve_Robinson_on_Canadarm2.jpg
The United States launches the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Its main mission is to search for the presence of water, to study the climate and geology and to determine the radiation levels and if a human mission there would be safe. - Odyssey is inserted in the Martian orbit in October 2001, and has performed over 10,000 orbits of the planet. The data collected is shaping future strategies of exploring Mars, searching for life, and supporting future human explorers. The Odyssey mission has been extended to 2010. - Source: NASA http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/ - Image Source: NASA http://nasa-mm04.us.archive.org:8081/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/NSVS-3-NA/5207/odysseyCloseTrueSTILL.1080.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=3&iid=NSVS&vcid=NA&usergroup=NASA_Scientific_Visualization_Studio_Colle-3-Admin&profileid=11
The Soviet Union de-orbits the MIR space station. It breaks up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere, crashing into a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. - Mir was in space for fifteen years before being de-orbited. It was continuously occupied for over ten years and was used for countless space experiments. The International Space Station relied heavily on MIR for its construction. - Source: Russian Space Web http://www.russianspaceweb.com/mir.html - Image Source: NASA http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/IMAGES/HIGH/9613543.jpg
The Soviet Union launches Soyuz TM-31 carrying the first crew (Expedition 1) to man the International Space Station. The international crew consisted of Commander Bill Shepherd, a U.S. astronaut; Soyuz Commander Yuri Gidzenko, a Russian cosmonaut; and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev, a Russian cosmonaut. - Source: NASA http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/crew/exp1/index.html - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/ISS-Expedition_1-crew.jpg/750px-ISS-Expedition_1-crew.jpg
The United States launches Space Shuttle Endeavour to carry out the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). - The SRTM generates the most complete high resolution digital topographic database of the earth, producing a 3-d map of nearly 80% of the world’s land mass. - Source: NASA http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/ - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-9-NA/60752/0400055.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=9&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=Marshall_-_nasa-9-Admin&profileid=41
China launches the unmanned Shenzhou 1 spacecraft. It is the first test launch preparing for a future launch of a manned capsule. - Source: Astronautix http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shenzhou.htm - Image Source: Image Source: Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Shenzhou5-1.JPG
The United States launches the Chandra X-Ray Observatory from the Space Shuttle Colombia. It is the most sophisticated X-ray observatory built to date. - The Chandra X-Ray Observatory is the third of NASA’s four “Great Observatories,” following the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Ray Observatory. The data collected by Chandra completely changes the field of X-ray astronomy. Source: Harvard University http://chandra.harvard.edu/about/index.html - Image Source: NASA http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/IMAGES/HIGH/9501245.jpg
The United States launches the Stardust spacecraft. Its primary mission is the study of the Wild 2 comet. - Stardust is the first spacecraft to collect cosmic dust and return it to Earth (Jan. 15, 2006), it led to the discovery of the presence of glycine in comets; a fundamental building block of life. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stardust/main/index.html - Image Source: NASA http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA03183.jpg
The Soviet Union launches the first component of the International Space Station (ISS). - In 2009, the ISS becomes the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit. _ Source: ISS http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/ISS_OVR/index.htm - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/ISS_STS-128_Zenith.jpg/800px-ISS_STS-128_Zenith.jpg
American astronaut John Glenn lifts off on the Space Shuttle Discovery, becoming the oldest person to fly in space. - Glenn is assigned to the mission in order to study the effects of space flight on the elderly. At the time of lift off, he is 77 years old. - Source: NASA http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-95.html - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/STS-95_crew.jpg/774px-STS-95_crew.jpg
The United States launches the Deep Space 1 (DS1) spacecraft. It is the first spacecraft to test an ion propulsion drive. - DS1 is a technology test spacecraft that tested twelve new technologies for advance spaceflight. It is the first spacecraft to be launched as part of NASA’s New Millennium program. In 2000, the mission is extended and DS1 performed a fly-by of the Comet Borrely (Sept. 20, 2001) providing the best images ever taken of a comet. - Source: NASA http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast19sep_1.htm - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-2-NA/4846/PIA04238.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=2&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=nasa&profileid=9
The United States launches the Lunar Prospector spacecraft. It is the first NASA mission to the moon in over 25 years. _ Lunar Prospector spends its first year mapping the entire surface of the Moon from a distance of 100 kilometers. It provides further evidence of frozen water at the lunar poles. ¬- Source: NASA http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/prospector/prospector.html - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/121548/Lunar_Propsector.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The United States launches the Lunar Prospector spacecraft. It is the first NASA mission to the moon in over 25 years. _ Lunar Prospector spends its first year mapping the entire surface of the Moon from a distance of 100 kilometers. It provides further evidence of frozen water at the lunar poles. ¬- Source: NASA http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/prospector/prospector.html - Image Source: NASA http://mm04.nasaimages.org/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/nasaNAS-20-NA/121548/Lunar_Propsector.jpg&userid=1&username=admin&resolution=4&servertype=JVA&cid=20&iid=nasaNAS&vcid=NA&usergroup=solarsystem&profileid=99
The United States launches the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft. Its primary mission is the study of planet Saturn and its moons. The mission involves 17 nations and hundreds of scientists. On April 18, 2008, NASA extends the mission by two years. - Source: NASA http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/introduction/ - Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (NASA) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Cassini_Huygens_Titan.jpg
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