Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and Pragyan rover celebrated today after successfully landing on Moon in 2023; marking India as the 4th country to land on Moon, and 1st near the Moon South Pole.
NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.
Japan's X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), studying galactic plasma, surpasses another full year in space today at ~550-km LEO, having launched 2023.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.
Nationwide celebrations and educational events occur to observe NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) first business day as newly-formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on this day in 1958.
NET Oct — ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) expected to perform flyby of Asteroid 223 Rosa this month, arriving at Jupiter in 2031.
Celebrating international contributions of space science for betterment of the human condition; Oct 4 is 68th observation of 1st Space mission Sputnik One launched by Soviet Union 1957; Oct 10 is 58th observation of Outer Space Treaty going into effect 1967.
First solar observatory for China known as CHASE or Xihe / 羲和 surpasses another full year in space since launching on this day via Long March 2D in 2021.
NASA spacecraft mapping boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space surpasses another full year in space; launched on this day 2008.
European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another full year at Mars, launched 2016; craft continues collecting data on atmosphere, deployed Schiaparelli demonstration lander 19 Oct 2016 (unsuccessful).
European Space Agency / JAXA Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (dubbed Mio ‘waterway or fairway’) surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2018; expected to reach Mercury polar orbit in Nov 2026 to map planet, investigate magnetosphere.
NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.
NASA craft imaging Sun and solar phenomena surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2006.
Today marks another full year of continuous Human occupation of ISS; first component Zarya launched Nov 20, 1998, occupation began Nov 2, 2000.
NASA 12-U CubeSat Capstone acting as a pathfinder for planned International Lunar Gateway surpasses another year around Moon today; launched in 2022.
Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.
China National Space Administration (CNSA) Chang'E-5 lander at Statio Tianchuan "ship sailing in the Milky Way", Mons Rümker, Oceanus Procellarum, Moon (43° N, 51.9° W), surpasses another full year on lunar surface today; landed on this day in 2020, with sample return launching from the Moon 2 days later.
European Space Agency (ESA) / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) craft studying sun, surpasses another full year of operations in space today, launched 1995; discovered more than 3,000 comets.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa surpasses another full year in space today; launched Dec 3, 2014, returned samples to Earth in 2020, and now in extended mission to flyby asteroid 98943 Torifune in 2026 and rendezvous with 1998 KY26 in 2031.
European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.
China National Space Administration (CNSA) spacecraft at Guang Han Gong "Moon Palace", Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W, surpasses another full year on Moon surface, landed 2013.
NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.
ESA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today; now in extended mission phase working to map more than 1 billion stars; launched in 2013.
NASA (STSci) / ESA / CSA infrared astronomy telescope surpasses next full year in space since launching on this day via Ariane 5 ECA rocket in 2021.
ESA spacecraft surpasses next full year in Mars orbit today; will continue to study Mars atmosphere & climate, planet structure, mineralogy, geology, and to search for traces of water; launched June 2, 2003 and arrived at Mars in Dec 2003.
NET 2030 — Europe hopes to have built a sustainable Moon Village by this date, while working toward Mars missions.
NET 2030 — Projected date / decade for NASA to send Humans to Mars.
NET 2030 — Roscosmos hoping to launch Angara A5 with Luna-29 (Luna-Resurs 3) Moon South Pole lander and rover; mission goals / landing site TBD, will support future Human base.
NET 2030 — Russia hopes to launch Millimetron (Spektr-M) space observatory with a diameter of 10 meters to Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange Point to study black holes, formation of stars, planets, galaxies.
At Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
Recognized proclamation to celebrate the first-ever imaged black hole M87* by Event Horizon Telescope collaboration involving Mauna Kea Observatories, given the Hawaiian name Pōwehi; imaged in April 2017 and released Apr 10, 2019.
Europa Clipper mission to insert into Jupiter orbit on this day to study Galileo moon Europa through a series of 44 close flybys (25 to 2,700 km); launched 10 October 2024.
Celebrating Yuri Gagarin, the 1st human to orbit Earth on Vostok 1 spacecraft in 1961; the flight lasted 108 minutes at 27,400 kph and 327 km above Earth.
Launching parties around the world every year on or around April 12th, in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to venture into space on April 12, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on April 12, 1981. We use space to bring the world together, […]
Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.
First Friday in May, events and presentations to promote STEM education and inspire people to continue the work of Space explorers; originally began as ‘National Space Day’ in 1997 by Lockheed Martin Corp.
NASA Artemis program to land 1st Woman and Person of Color on Moon is well underway as today is recognized for Kennedy declaring to congress “I believe that this Nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning […]
Today marks 8th full year / starts 9th year of continuous Human occupation of TSS; Shenzhou 14 three-member crew launched on this day in 2022, beginning occupation.
NASA ARTEMIS P1 craft surpasses another year in lunar orbit since 2011; it was 1 of 5 satellites launched 2007 to study Earth magnetosphere.
NASA ARTEMIS P2 craft surpasses another full year in lunar orbit since 2011; 1 of 5 satellites launched 2007 to study Earth magnetosphere
Celebrating the 1st people walking on the Moon / another celestial body – International Moon Day has been a recognized / endorsed declaration by the United Nations since 2022.
First USA spacecraft to successfully land on another planet commemorated today for its accomplishment 54 years ago; originally scheduled for July 4, landing was delayed until this day in 1976 due to rough landing site.
NASA craft surpasses another full year in space today, having launched Aug 12, 2018; probe came within ~6.16M km of the Sun on Dec 24, 2024 which is ~7 times closer than any prior spacecraft, traveling faster than any other human-made object at ~692,000 km/hr.
Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and Pragyan rover celebrated today after successfully landing on Moon in 2023; marking India as the 4th country to land on Moon, and 1st near the Moon South Pole.
NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.
Japan's X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), studying galactic plasma, surpasses another full year in space today at ~550-km LEO, having launched 2023.
NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft surpasses another full year of operations in Mars orbit after insertion on this day 2014; continuing to study upper atmosphere.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.
First solar observatory for China known as CHASE or Xihe / 羲和 surpasses another full year in space since launching on this day via Long March 2D in 2021.
NASA spacecraft mapping boundary between the Solar System and interstellar space surpasses another full year in space; launched on this day 2008.
European Space Agency / JAXA Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (dubbed Mio ‘waterway or fairway’) surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2018; expected to reach Mercury polar orbit in Nov 2026 to map planet, investigate magnetosphere.
NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.
NASA craft imaging Sun and solar phenomena surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2006.
NASA mission to encounter 11 asteroids, including a main belt and 7 Jupiter Trojans, to perform Earth flyby / gravity assist today coming within 660 km after reaching Jupiter orbit and returning to the vicinity of the Earth.
ISEE-3 (International Sun-Earth Explorer-3) craft, presumably in safe mode, is traveling around Sun & predicted to return to vicinity of Earth this year – may be able to reestablish contact; launched August 12, 1978.
Roscosmos State Corporation planning to launch Launch Luna-30 lander to deliver a reusable cargo delivery spacecraft with supplies for human missions.
European Space Agency planning to launch the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element -- lunar lander built by Thales Alenia Space to the Moon.
Today marks 9th full year / starts 10th year of continuous Human occupation of TSS; Shenzhou 14 three-member crew launched on this day in 2022, beginning occupation.
☆ NET Jul — JAXA Hayabusa 2 mission to rendezvous with asteroid 1998 KY26, after returning samples from (162173) Ryugu to Earth in 2020 and flying by asteroid 98943 Torifune in 2026.
NET July — ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) expected to reach Jupiter this month if launched April 2023; will perform a flyby of Ganymede 7.5-hours before Jupiter insertion; will spend at least 3.5 years studying Jupiter atmosphere and magnetosphere, moons Ganymede, Europa, Callisto and Io with 10 state-of-the-art instruments […]
NASA craft surpasses another full year in space today, having launched Aug 12, 2018; probe came within ~6.16M km of the Sun on Dec 24, 2024 which is ~7 times closer than any prior spacecraft, traveling faster than any other human-made object at ~692,000 km/hr.
Highlighting Galaxy awareness by celebrating the Solar System traveling around Milky Way Galaxy Center every ~225 million Earth years, one Galactic Tick happens every 633.7 days; first Tick Day was one Tick after October 2nd, 1608 when the first telescope patent was filed.
South Korea planning to launch Moon lander & rover to look for signs of rare minerals on Moon surface.
ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) expected to perform flyby of moon Europa this month.
Mercury to pass directly between Earth and Sun; observers see distant planet as small dot gliding slowly across face of Sun; starts Nov 12 at 20:41 HST, ends 01:07 Nov 13.
Tentative date for China to test launch its next-gen rocket intended to carry people and cargo to the Moon.
Roscosmos hoping to launch lander to deliver a heavy lunar rover weighing up to 5,000 kg, capable of mining / extracting lunar resources.
Türkiye hopes to have space-launch capabilities and more than 20 operational satellites by this date.
NASA Lucy mission to come within 1,000 km of 113-km diameter 617 Patroclus and 104-km diameter Menoetius, p-type binary asteroids; Lucy will be in a stable, 6-year orbit between the L4 and L5 -- mission extension may be granted.
End of primary mission for NASA Lucy mission, future science and mission plan extension TBD; mission is a twelve-year journey to eight different asteroids, and craft will continue to orbit the Sun in a stable orbit between the L4 and L5 Trojan swarms around Jupiter.
Today marks 10th full year / starts 11th year of continuous Human occupation of Tiangong Space Station; Shenzhou 14 three-member crew launched on this day in 2022, beginning occupation.
ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) expected to achieve Ganymede elliptical orbit insertion this month.
Roscosmos hopes to launch Luna-32 to deliver heavy modules weighing up to 5,000 kg for the construction of the International Lunar Research Station by this date.
Roscosmos hopes to launch Luna-33 orbiter to be used for communication and navigation for Human Moon Missions and lunar base.
International Lunar Research Station ILRS-5 mission to occur by this date; final mission before human occupation of ILRS will include lunar-based astronomy and Earth observation capabilities.
India planning to launch Soorya for final module completing space station Bharatiya Antariksh in LEO.
China asteroid sample return mission, having returned at least 100 grams from Kamo’oalewa (2016 HO3), to rendezvous with and begin orbiting Comet 311/P PanSTARRS for 1 year.
ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is planned to be deorbited and impact Ganymede at the end of 2035, having reached Jupiter in 2031.
