NASA has had a constant human presence in space for over two decades
Over the years, NASA has put humans on the moon and animals in orbit as it continues to take to new heights with a range of new missions.
Technology developed by humans on the ground has made some of these missions smoother in space.
1. The Apollo Moon landing
In 1969, the United States successfully placed a human on the moon after multiple failed attempts.
Apollo 11 saw Neil Armstrong become the first person to walk on the lunar surface.
The success of the mission spurred a renewed interest in space exploration and paved the way for future missions to deep space.
2. The Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit around Earth in 1990.
It has been used to observe some of the most distant objects in the universe and has helped to expand NASA’s understanding of the cosmos.
In 2009, the telescope was repaired by a team of astronauts, extending its lifespan by at least another decade.
3. The Cassini-Huygens
The Cassini spacecraft was launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004. It carried the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan one year later.
The mission provided scientists with valuable data about Saturn and its moons.
4. The Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity
The Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity were launched in 2003 and landed on Mars later that year.
The rovers far exceeded their expected lifespan, with Opportunity operational until 2016.
The rovers have provided scientists with invaluable data about Mars’ surface conditions and have helped to pave the way for future human exploration of the planet.
5. The New Horizons
The New Horizons spacecraft was launched in 2006 and began its flyby of Pluto in 2015.
The mission returned stunning images of Pluto and its moons, as well as valuable data about the dwarf planet’s surface conditions.
