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Navigation:

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1950s:    1957    1958    1959
1960s:    1960    1961    1962    1963    1964    1965    1966    1967    1968    1969
1970s:    1970    1971    1972    1973    1974    1975    1976    1977    1978    1979
1980s:    1980    1981    1982    1983    1984    1985    1986    1987    1988    1989
1990s:    1990    1991    1992    1993    1994    1995    1996    1997    1998    1999
2000s:    2000    2001    2002    2003    2004    2005    2006    2007    2008    2009
2010s:    2010    2011    2012    2013    2014    2015    2016    2017    2018    2019

Click a mission for history from the National Space Science Data Center

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NASA photo: Apollo 12 astronaut on the Moon at Surveyor 3 landing site in 1969

Date, country and objective of successful and unsuccessful lunar and planetary probes as well as some other flights that were important in the development of space exploration. Click a mission name for a description of the spacecraft, experiments, data returned, launch and orbit, communication system and other information.

1957

Sputnik 1 - 4 October 1957 - Earth Orbiter

Sputnik 2 - 3 November 1957 - Earth Orbiter


1958

Explorer 1 - 1 February 1958 - Earth Orbiter

Vanguard 1 - 17 March 1958 - Earth Orbiter

Pioneer 0 - 17 Aug 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)

Luna 1958A - 23 September 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)

Pioneer 1 - 11 Oct 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)

Luna 1958B - 12 October 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)

Pioneer 2 - 8 Nov 1958 - Attempted Lunar Orbit (Launch Failure)

Luna 1958C - 4 December 1958 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)

Pioneer 3 - 6 Dec 1958 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)


1959

Luna 1 - 2 Jan 1959 - Lunar Flyby (Attempted Lunar Impact)

Pioneer 4 - 3 March 1959 - Lunar Flyby

Luna 1959A - 16 June 1959 - Attempted Lunar Impact (Launch Failure)

Luna 2 - 12 Sep 1959 - Lunar Impact

Luna 3 - 4 Oct 1959 - Lunar Flyby

Pioneer P-3 - 26 Nov 1959 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)


1960

Luna 1960A - 15 April 1960 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)

Luna 1960B - 18 April 1960 - Attempted Lunar Flyby (Launch Failure)

Pioneer P-30 - 25 Sept 1960 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Marsnik 1 (Mars 1960A) - 10 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)

Marsnik 2 (Mars 1960B) - 14 Oct 1960 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)

Pioneer P-31 - 15 Dec 1960 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)


1961

Sputnik 7 - 4 Feb 1961 - Attempted Venus Impact

Venera 1 - 12 Feb 1961 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)

Ranger 1 - 23 Aug 1961 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight

Ranger 2 - 18 Nov 1961 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight


1962

Ranger 3 - 26 Jan 1962 - Attempted Lunar Impact

Ranger 4 - 23 Apr 1962 - Lunar Impact

Mariner 1 - 22 Jul 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)

Sputnik 23 - 25 Aug 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby

Mariner 2 - 27 Aug 1962 - Venus Flyby

Sputnik 24 - 1 Sep 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby

Sputnik 25 - 12 Sep 1962 - Attempted Venus Flyby

Ranger 5 - 18 Oct 1962 - Attempted Lunar Impact

Sputnik 29 - 24 Oct 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby

Mars 1 - 1 Nov 1962 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)

Sputnik 31 - 4 Nov 1962 - Attempted Mars Flyby


1963

Sputnik 33 - 4 Jan 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Luna 1963B - 2 Feb 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)

Luna 4 - 2 Apr 1963 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Cosmos 21 - 11 Nov 1963 - Attempted Venera Test Flight


1964

Ranger 6 - 30 Jan 1964 - Lunar Impact (Cameras Failed)

Venera 1964A - 19 Feb 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)

Venera 1964B - 1 Mar 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)

Luna 1964A - 21 Mar 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)

Cosmos 27 - 27 Mar 1964 - Attempted Venus Flyby

Zond 1 - 2 Apr 1964 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)

Luna 1964B - 20 Apr 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)

Zond 1964A - 4 Jun 1964 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)

Ranger 7 - 28 Jul 1964 - Lunar Impact

Mariner 3 - 5 Nov 1964 - Attempted Mars Flyby

Mariner 4 - 28 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby

Zond 2 - 30 Nov 1964 - Mars Flyby (Contact Lost)


1965

Ranger 8 - 17 Feb 1965 - Lunar Impact

Cosmos 60 - 12 Mar 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Ranger 9 - 21 Mar 1965 - Lunar Impact

Luna 1965A - 10 Apr 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander (Launch Failure)

Luna 5 - 9 May 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)

Luna 6 - 8 Jun 1965 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Zond 3 - 18 Jul 1965 - Lunar Flyby

Luna 7 - 4 Oct 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)

Venera 2 - 12 Nov 1965 - Venus Flyby (Contact Lost)

Venera 3 - 16 Nov 1965 - Venus Lander (Contact Lost)

Cosmos 96 - 23 Nov 1965 - Attempted Venus Lander

Venera 1965A - 23 Nov 1965 - Attempted Venus Flyby (Launch Failure)

Luna 8 - 3 Dec 1965 - Lunar Impact (Attempted Soft Landing)


1966

Luna 9 - 31 Jan 1966 - Lunar Lander

Cosmos 111 - 1 Mar 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter

Luna 10 - 31 March 1966 - Lunar Orbiter

Luna 1966A - 30 Apr 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Surveyor 1 - 30 May 1966 - Lunar Lander

Explorer 33 - 1 Jul 1966 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter

Lunar Orbiter 1 - 10 Aug 1966 - Lunar Orbiter

Luna 11 - 24 Aug 1966 - Lunar Orbiter

Surveyor 2 - 20 Sep 1966 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Luna 12 - 22 Oct 1966 - Lunar Orbiter

Lunar Orbiter 2 - 6 Nov 1966 - Lunar Orbiter

Luna 13 - 21 Dec 1966 - Lunar Lander


1967

Lunar Orbiter 3 - 4 Feb 1967 - Lunar Orbiter

Surveyor 3 - 17 Apr 1967 - Lunar Lander

Lunar Orbiter 4 - 8 May 1967 - Lunar Orbiter

Venera 4 - 12 Jun 1967 - Venus Probe

Mariner 5 - 14 Jun 1967 - Venus Flyby

Cosmos 167 - 17 Jun 1967 - Attempted Venus Probe

Surveyor 4 - 14 Jul 1967 - Attempted Lunar Lander

Explorer 35 (IMP-E) - 19 Jul 1967 - Lunar Orbiter

Lunar Orbiter 5 - 1 Aug 1967 - Lunar Orbiter

Surveyor 5 - 8 Sep 1967 - Lunar Lander

Zond 1967A - 28 Sep 1967 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)

Surveyor 6 - 7 Nov 1967 - Lunar Lander

Zond 1967B - 22 Nov 1967 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)


1968

Surveyor 7 - 7 Jan 1968 - Lunar Lander

Luna 1968A - 7 Feb 1968 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Zond 4 - 2 Mar 1968 - Test Flight

Luna 14 - 7 Apr 1968 - Lunar Orbiter

Zond 1968A - 23 Apr 1968 - Attempted Lunar Test Flight (Launch Failure)

Zond 5 - 15 Sep 1968 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth

Zond 6 - 10 Nov 1968 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth

Apollo 8 - 21 Dec 1968 - Manned Lunar Orbiter


1969

Venera 5 - 5 Jan 1969 - Venus Probe

Venera 6 - 10 Jan 1969 - Venus Probe

Zond 1969A - 20 Jan 1969 - Attempted Lunar Flyby and Return (Launch Failure)

Luna 1969A - 19 Feb 1969 - Attempted Lunar Rover (Launch Failure)

Zond L1S-1 - 21 Feb 1969 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Mariner 6 - 25 Feb 1969 - Mars Flyby

Mariner 7 - 27 Mar 1969 - Mars Flyby

Mars 1969A - 27 Mar 1969 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Mars 1969B - 2 Apr 1969 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Luna 1969B - 15 Apr 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)

Apollo 10 - 18 May 1969 - Manned Lunar Orbiter

Luna 1969C - 14 Jun 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)

Zond L1S-2 - 3 Jul 1969 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Luna 15 - 13 Jul 1969 - Lunar Orbiter (Attempted Lunar Lander)

Apollo 11 - 16 Jul 1969 - Manned Lunar Landing

Zond 7 - 7 Aug 1969 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth

Cosmos 300 - 23 Sep 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return

Cosmos 305 - 22 Oct 1969 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return

Apollo 12 - 14 Nov 1969 - Manned Lunar Landing


1970

Luna 1970A - 6 Feb 1970 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return (Launch Failure)

Luna 1970B - 19 Feb 1970 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Apollo 13 - 11 Apr 1970 - Manned Lunar Mission (Landing Aborted)

Venera 7 - 17 Aug 1970 - Venus Lander

Cosmos 359 - 22 Aug 1970 - Attempted Venus Probe

Luna 16 - 12 Sep 1970 - Lunar Sample Return

Zond 8 - 20 Oct 1970 - Lunar Flyby and Return to Earth

Luna 17/Lunokhod 1 - 10 Nov 1970 - Lunar Rover


1971

Apollo 14 - 31 Jan 1971 - Manned Lunar Landing

Mariner 8 - 8 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Flyby (Launch Failure)

Cosmos 419 - 10 May 1971 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Lander

Mars 2 - 19 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Attempted Lander

Mars 3 - 28 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter/ Lander

Mariner 9 - 30 May 1971 - Mars Orbiter

Apollo 15 - 26 Jul 1971 - Manned Lunar Landing

Luna 18 - 2 Sep 1971 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return

Luna 19 - 28 Sep 1971 - Lunar Orbiter


1972

Luna 20 - 14 Feb 1972 - Lunar Sample Return

Pioneer 10 - 3 Mar 1972 - Jupiter Flyby

Venera 8 - 27 Mar 1972 - Venus Probe

Cosmos 482 - 31 Mar 1972 - Attempted Venus Probe

Apollo 16 - 16 Apr 1972 - Lunar Manned Landing

Soyuz L3 - 23 Nov 1972 - Attempted Lunar Orbiter (Launch Failure)

Apollo 17 - 7 Dec 1972 - Lunar Manned Landing


1973

Luna 21/Lunokhod 2 - 8 Jan 1973 - Lunar Rover

Pioneer 11 - 5 Apr 1973 - Jupiter/Saturn Flyby

Explorer 49 (RAE-B) - 10 Jun 1973 - Lunar Orbiter/Radio Astronomy

Mars 4 - 21 Jul 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Orbiter)

Mars 5 - 25 Jul 1973 - Mars Orbiter

Mars 6 - 5 Aug 1973 - Mars Lander (Contact Lost)

Mars 7 - 9 Aug 1973 - Mars Flyby (Attempted Mars Lander)

Mariner 10 - 4 Nov 1973 - Venus/Mercury Flybys


1974

Luna 22 - 2 Jun 1974 - Lunar Orbiter

Luna 23 - 28 Oct 1974 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return


1975

Venera 9 - 8 Jun 1975 - Venus Orbiter and Lander

Venera 10 - 14 Jun 1975 - Venus Orbiter and Lander

Viking 1 - 20 Aug 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

Viking 2 - 9 Sep 1975 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

Luna 1975A - 16 Oct 1975 - Attempted Lunar Sample Return


1976

Luna 24 - 9 Aug 1976 - Lunar Sample Return


1977

Voyager 2 - 20 Aug 1977 - Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus/Neptune Flyby

Voyager 1 - 5 Sep 1977 - Jupiter/Saturn Flyby


1978

Pioneer Venus 1 - 20 May 1978 - Venus Orbiter

Pioneer Venus 2 - 8 Aug 1978 - Venus Probes

ISEE-3/ICE - 12 Aug 1978 - Comet Giacobini-Zinner and Halley Flybys

Venera 11 - 9 Sep 1978 - Venus Orbiter and Lander

Venera 12 - 14 Sep 1978 - Venus Orbiter and Lander


1979

1980

1981

Venera 13 - 30 Oct 1981 - Venus Orbiter and Lander

Venera 14 - 4 Nov 1981 - Venus Orbiter and Lander


1982

1983

Venera 15 - 2 Jun 1983 - Venus Orbiter

Venera 16 - 7 Jun 1983 - Venus Orbiter


1984

Vega 1 - 15 Dec 1984 - Venus Lander and Balloon/Comet Halley Flyby

Vega 2 - 21 Dec 1984 - Venus Lander and Balloon/Comet Halley Flyby


1985

Sakigake - 7 Jan 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby

Giotto - 2 Jul 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby

Suisei (Planet-A) - 18 Aug 1985 - Comet Halley Flyby


1986

1987

1988

Phobos 1 - 7 Jul 1988 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Phobos Landers

Phobos 2 - 12 Jul 1988 - Mars Orbiter/Attempted Phobos Landers


1989

Magellan - 4 May 1989 - Venus Orbiter

Galileo - 18 Oct 1989 - Jupiter Orbiter

Galileo - 18 Oct 1989 - Jupiter Probe


1990

Hiten - 24 Jan 1990 - Lunar Flyby and Orbiter

Ulysses - 06 Oct 1990 - Jupiter Flyby and Solar Polar Orbiter


1991

1992

Mars Observer - 25 Sep 1992 - Attempted Mars Orbiter (Contact Lost)


1993

1994

Clementine - 25 Jan 1994 - Lunar Orbiter/Attempted Asteroid Flyby


1995

1996

NEAR Shoemaker - 17 Feb 1996 - Asteroid Eros Orbiter

Mars Global Surveyor - 07 November 1996 - Mars Orbiter

Mars 96 - 16 November 1996 - Attempted Mars Orbiter/Landers

Mars Pathfinder - 04 Dec 1996 - Mars Lander

Mars Pathfinder - 04 Dec 1996 - Mars Rover


1997

Cassini - 15 Oct 1997 - Saturn Orbiter

Huygens - 15 Oct 1997 - Titan Probe

AsiaSat 3/HGS-1 - 24 Dec 1997 - Lunar Flyby


1998

Lunar Prospector - 7 Jan 1998 - Lunar Orbiter

Nozomi (Planet-B) - 3 Jul 1998 - Mars Orbiter

Deep Space 1 (DS1) - 24 Oct 1998 - Asteroid and Comet Flyby

Mars Climate Orbiter - 11 Dec 1998 - Attempted Mars Orbiter


1999

Mars Polar Lander - 3 Jan 1999 - Attempted Mars Lander

Deep Space 2 (DS2) - 3 Jan 1999 - Attempted Mars Penetrators

Stardust - 7 Feb 1999 - Comet Coma Sample Return

French Clementine - 3 Dec 1999 - Earth's radio-electric environment.


2000

2001

Genesis - Jan 2001 - Solar Wind Sample Return

Mars Surveyor 2001 Orbiter - 7 Mar 2001 - Mars Orbiter

2001 Mars Odyssey - 5 Apr 2001 - Mars Orbiter


2002

Muses-C - Jan 2002 - Asteroid Lander and Sample Return

CONTOUR - Jul 2002 - Fly-by of three comets   failed after launch

SMART 1 - Late 2002 - Lunar Orbiter


2003

Mars Surveyor 2003 - May 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

Mars Express - 1 June 2003 - Mars Orbiter and Lander

Lunar-A - 2003 - Lunar Orbiter and Penetrators


2004

Deep Impact - Jan 2004 - Comet Rendezvous and Impact

MESSENGER - Mar 2004 - Mercury Orbiter

Rosetta - 2004 - Comet Orbiter and Lander

Pluto-Kuiper Express - Dec 2004 - Proposed Flyby of Pluto and Kuiper Belt


2005

Mars Surveyor 2005 Orbiter - July 2005 - Mars Orbiter and Sample Return

Mars Surveyor 2005 Lander - July 2005 - Mars Lander, Rover and Sample Acquisition

2006

2007

2008

2009

BepiColombo - 2009 - ESA Mercury Orbiter


2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

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Other Missions

If you think you know of an interplanetary probe that you don't see it in the list above, you may query the National Space Science Data Center master catalog by typing a name in the keyword search space below.

Spacecraft Name:

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Space Today Online:

Going Back To Those Faraway Places

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Learn more about interplanetary probes:

National Space Science Data Center Planetary Sciences

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