Encyclopedia of the Solar System 2nd ed

Appendix 907

TABLE 1 Planetary Exploration Missions

Spacecraft Source Launch Target Mission Notes

Viking 2 USA Sept. 9, 1975 Mars orbiter Orbited Mars: Aug. 7, 1976

Viking 2 lander USA Sept. 9, 1975 Mars lander Landed on Mars: Sept. 3, 1976;

surface science

Helios 2 Germany Jan. 15, 1976 Solar wind interplanetary Monitored solar wind and dust

Luna 24 USSR Aug. 9, 1976 Moon sample return Lunar surface sample return

Voyager 2 USA Aug. 20, 1977 Jupiter flyby Flew by Jupiter: July 9, 1979

Saturn flyby Flew by Saturn: Aug. 26, 1981

Uranus flyby Flew by Uranus: Jan. 24, 1986

Neptune flyby Flew by Neptune: Aug. 25, 1989

Voyager 1 USA Sept. 5, 1977 Jupiter flyby Flew by Jupiter: Mar. 5, 1979

Saturn flyby Flew by Saturn: Nov. 12, 1980

International

Ultraviolet

Explorer (IUE)

USA/ESA Jan. 26, 1978 All telescope Ultraviolet observatory in Earth orbit

Pioneer 12 USA May 20, 1978 Venus orbiter Orbited Venus: Dec. 8, 1978

Pioneer 13 USA Aug. 8, 1978 Venus probes Four atmospheric entry probes: Dec.

9, 1978

Venera 11 USSR Sept. 9, 1978 Venus lander Landed: Dec. 25, 1978

Venera 12 USSR Sept. 14, 1978 Venus lander Landed: Dec. 21, 1978

ISEE 3 USA Aug. 12, 1978 Solar wind interplanetary Monitored solar wind; flew through

tail of Comet

Giacobini-Zinner: Sept. 11, 1985

Solar Max USA Feb. 14, 1980 Sun telescope Solar observatory in Earth orbit

Venera 13 USSR Oct. 30, 1981 Venus lander Landed: Feb. 27, 1982

Venera 14 USSR Nov. 4, 1981 Venus lander Landed: Mar. 5, 1982

Infrared

Astronomical

Satellite (IRAS)

USA/UK/

Netherlands

Jan. 25, 1983 All telescope Infrared observatory in Earth orbit

Venera 15 USSR June 2, 1983 Venus orbiter Orbited Venus: Oct. 10, 1983; radar

mapper

Venera 16 USSR June 7, 1983 Venus orbiter Orbited Venus: Oct. 14, 1983; radar

mapper

Vega 1 USSR Dec. 15, 1984 Venus lander Landed: June 11, 1985

USSR Dec. 15, 1984 Venus balloon Deployed in Venus atmosphere

USSR Dec. 15, 1984 Halley flyby Flew by Comet Halley at 8,890 km:

Mar. 6, 1986

Vega 2 USSR Dec. 21, 1984 Venus lander Landed: June 15, 1985

USSR Dec. 21, 1984 Venus balloon Deployed in Venus atmosphere

USSR Dec. 21, 1984 Halley flyby Flew by Comet Halley at 8,030 km:

Mar. 9, 1986

Sakigake Japan Jan. 8, 1985 Halley flyby Distant flyby of Comet Halley: Mar.

11, 1986

Suisei Japan Aug. 18, 1985 Halley flyby Flew by Comet Halley at 151,000 km:

Mar. 8, 1986

Giotto ESA July 2, 1985 Halley flyby Flew by Comet Halley at 596 km: Mar.

14, 1986

Phobos 1 USSR July 7, 1988 Phobos orbiter/lander Communications lost en route

Phobos 2 USSR July 12, 1988 Phobos orbiter/lander Orbited Mars: Jan. 29, 1989; failed

prior to landing

Magellan USA May 5, 1989 Venus orbiter Orbited Venus: Aug. 10, 1990; radar

mapper

(Continued)