List of Solar System probes

For a list of active probes only, see List of active Solar System probes. For a list of landers only, see Landings on other planets.

This is a list of all space probes that have left Earth orbit (or were launched with that intention but failed), organized by their planned destination. It includes planetary probes, solar probes, and probes to asteroids and comets, but excludes manned lunar spacecraft (listed separately at List of Apollo missions). Flybys (such as gravity assists) that were incidental to the main purpose of the mission are also included. Confirmed future probes are included, but missions that are still at the concept stage, or which never progressed beyond the concept stage, are not.

Key

Colour key:

– Mission or flyby completed successfully (or partially successfully)		– Failed or cancelled mission
– Mission en route or in progress (including mission extensions)		– Planned mission

• ^† means "tentatively identified", as classified by NASA. These are Cold War-era Soviet missions, mostly failures, about which few or no details have been officially released. The information given may be speculative.
• Date is the date of:

• closest encounter (flybys)
• impact (impactors)
• orbital insertion to end of mission, whether planned or premature (orbiters)
• landing to end of mission, whether planned or premature (landers)
• launch (missions that never got underway due to failure at or soon after launch)

In cases which do not fit any of the above, the event to which the date refers is stated. Note that as a result of this scheme missions are not always listed in order of launch.

• Some of the terms used under Type:

• Flyby: The probe flies by an astronomical body, but does not orbit it
• Orbiter: Part of a probe that orbits an astronomical body
• Lander: Part of a probe that descend to the surface of an astronomical body
• Rover: Part of a probe that acts as a vehicle to move on the solid-surface of an astronomical body
• Penetrator: Part of a probe that impacts an astronomical body
• Atmospheric probe or ballon: Part of a probe that descend through or floats in the atmosphere of an astronomical body
• Sample return: Parts of the probe return back to Earth with physical samples

• Under Status, in the case of flybys (such as gravity assists) that are incidental to the main mission, "success" indicates the successful completion of the flyby, not necessarily that of the main mission.

Solar probes

While the Sun is not physically explorable with current technology, the following solar observation probes have been designed and launched to operate in heliocentric orbit or at one of the Earth–Sun Lagrangian points – additional solar observatories were placed in Earth orbit and are not included in this list:

Solar Probes (List)

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer 5		NASA/ DOD	March–April 1960	orbiter	success	measured magnetic field phenomena, solar flare particles, and ionization in the interplanetary region
Pioneer 6		NASA	December 1965 – still contactable in 2000	orbiter	success	network of solar-orbiting "space weather" monitors, observing solar wind, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields
Pioneer 7		NASA	August 1966 – still contactable in 1995	orbiter	success
Pioneer 8		NASA	December 1967 – still contactable in 2001	orbiter	success
Pioneer 9		NASA	November 1968 – May 1983	orbiter	success
Pioneer-E		NASA	27 August 1969	orbiter	failure	intended as part of the Pioneer 6–9 network; failed to reach orbit
Helios A		NASA/ BWF	November 1974 – 1982	orbiter	success	observations of solar wind, magnetic and electric fields, cosmic rays and cosmic dust between Earth and Sun
Helios B		NASA/ BWF	January 1976 – 1985?	orbiter	success
ISEE-3		NASA	1978–1982	orbiter	success	observed solar phenomena in conjunction with earth-orbiting ISEE-1 and ISEE-2; later renamed International Cometary Explorer (ICE) and directed to Comet Giacobini-Zinner
Ulysses (first pass)		ESA/ NASA	1994	orbiter	success	south polar observations
			1995			north polar observations
WIND		NASA	November 1994 — still returning data (as of June 2015)	orbiter	success	solar wind measurements
SOHO		ESA/ NASA	May 1996 – mission extended until 31 December 2016	orbiter	success	investigation of Sun's core, corona, and solar wind; comet discoveries
ACE		NASA	August 1997 – still returning data (as of June 2015)	orbiter	success	solar wind observations
Ulysses (second pass)		ESA/ NASA	2000	orbiter	success	south polar observations
			2001			north polar observations
Genesis		NASA	2001–2004	orbiter/ sample return	success	solar wind sample return; crash landed on return to Earth, much data salvaged
STEREO A		NASA	December 2006 – still returning data (as of June 2015)	orbiter	success	stereoscopic imaging of coronal mass ejections and other solar phenomena
STEREO B		NASA	December 2006 – still returning data (as of June 2015)	orbiter	success
Ulysses (third pass)		ESA/ NASA	2007	orbiter	success	south polar observations
			2008		partial success	north polar observations; some data returned despite failing power and reduced transmission capacity
DSCOVR		NOAA	February 2015 – present	orbiter	success	solar wind and coronal mass ejection monitoring, as well as Earth climate monitoring
Solar Sentinels		NASA	2015	multi-probe orbiter	planned	six probes watching the sun
Solar Probe Plus		NASA	2018	orbiter	planned	close-range coronal observations
Intergelio-Zond		RKA	2019	orbiter	planned	close-range solar observations
Aditya		ISRO	2017-2018	orbiter	planned	to study Solar Corona

Mercury probes

Main article: Exploration of Mercury

Mercury Probes (List)

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Mariner 10		NASA	29 March 1974	flyby	success	minimum distance 704 km
			21 September 1974			48,069 km
			16 March 1975			327 km
MESSENGER		NASA	14 January 2008	flyby	success	minimum distance 200 km
			6 October 2008			minimum distance 200 km
			29 September 2009			minimum distance 228 km
			18 March 2011 – 30 April 2015	orbiter	success	first spacecraft to orbit Mercury; unavoidable impact on the surface at end of mission
BepiColombo		ESA/ JAXA	27 January 2017 (launch) 1 January 2024 (orbital insertion) 1 April 2025 (end of nominal mission)
	Mercury Planetary Orbiter	ESA		orbiter	under construction
	Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter	JAXA		orbiter	testing

Venus probes

Main article: Exploration of Venus

1961–1965

Venus Probes (List) [1961-1965]

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Sputnik 7		(USSR)	4 February 1961	lander	failure	failed to escape from Earth orbit
Venera 1		(USSR)	19 May 1961 – 20 May 1961	flyby	failure	contact lost 7 days after launch; first spacecraft to fly by another planet
Mariner 1		NASA	22 July 1962	flyby	failure	guidance failure shortly after launch
Sputnik 19		(USSR)	25 August 1962	lander	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Sputnik 20		(USSR)	1 September 1962	lander	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Sputnik 21		(USSR)	12 September 1962	flyby	failure	third stage exploded
Mariner 2		NASA	14 December 1962	flyby	success	first successful Venus flyby; minimum distance 34,773 km
Cosmos 21†		(USSR)	11 November 1963	flyby?	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Venera 1964A†		(USSR)	19 February 1964	flyby	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit
Venera 1964B†		(USSR)	1 March 1964	flyby	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit
Cosmos 27		(USSR)	27 March 1964	flyby	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Zond 1		(USSR)	1964	flyby and possible lander	failure	contact lost en route
Cosmos 96		(USSR)	23 November 1965	lander	failure	exploded?
Venera 1965A†		(USSR)	26 November 1965	flyby	failure	launch vehicle failure?

1966–1970

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Venera 2		(USSR)	27 February 1966	flyby	failure	ceased to operate en route
Venera 3		(USSR)	1 March 1966	lander	failure	contact lost before arrival; first spacecraft to impact on the surface of another planet
Kosmos 167		(USSR)	17 June 1967	lander	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Venera 4		(USSR)	18 October 1967	atmospheric probe	success	continued to transmit to an altitude of 25 km
Mariner 5		NASA	19 October 1967	flyby	success	minimum distance 5,000 km
Venera 5		(USSR)	16 May 1969	atmospheric probe	success	transmitted atmospheric data for 53 minutes, to an altitude of about 26 km
Venera 6		(USSR)	17 May 1969	atmospheric probe	success	transmitted atmospheric data for 51 minutes, to an altitude of perhaps 10–12 km
Cosmos 359		(USSR)	22 August 1970	lander?	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Venera 7		(USSR)	15 December 1970	lander	success	first successful landing on another planet; signals returned from surface for 23 minutes

1971–1975

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Cosmos 482		(USSR)	31 March 1972	lander?	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Venera 8		(USSR)	22 July 1972	lander	success	signals returned from surface for 50 minutes
Mariner 10		NASA	5 February 1974	flyby	success	minimum distance 5768 km, en route to Mercury; first use of gravity assist by an interplanetary spacecraft
Venera 9		(USSR)	1975	orbiter	success	first spacecraft to orbit Venus; communications relay for lander; atmospheric and magnetic studies
			22 October 1975	lander	success	first images from the surface; operated on surface for 53 minutes
Venera 10		(USSR)	1975	orbiter	success	communications relay for lander; atmospheric and magnetic studies
			23 October 1975	lander	success	transmitted from surface for 65 minutes

1978

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer Venus Orbiter		NASA	4 December 1978 – 1992	orbiter	success	atmospheric and magnetic studies
Pioneer Venus Multiprobe		NASA	9 December 1978
	bus			probe transporter	success	deployed four atmospheric probes, then burnt up in Venusian atmosphere, continuing to transmit to 110 km altitude
	large probe			atmospheric probe	success
	north probe			atmospheric probe	success
	day probe			atmospheric probe	success	survived impact and continued to transmit from surface for over an hour
	night probe			atmospheric probe	success
Venera 12		SAS
	flight platform		21 December 1978	flyby	success	minimum distance 34,000 km; deployed lander and then acted as communications relay
	descent craft		21 December 1978	lander	partial success	soft landing; transmissions returned for 110 minutes; failure of some instruments
Venera 11		SAS				identical to Venera 12
	flight platform		25 December 1978	flyby	success	minimum distance 34,000 km; deployed lander and then acted as communications relay
	descent craft		25 December 1978	lander	partial success	soft landing; transmissions returned for 95 minutes; failure of some instruments

1982–1994

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Venera 13		SAS
	bus		1 March 1982	flyby	success	deployed lander and then acted as communications relay
	descent craft		1 March 1982	lander	success	survived on surface for 127 minutes
Venera 14		SAS				identical to Venera 13
	bus		5 March 1982	flyby	success	deployed lander and then acted as communications relay
	descent craft		5 March 1982	lander	success	survived on surface for 57 minutes
Venera 15		SAS	1983–1984	orbiter	success	radar mapping
Venera 16		SAS	1983–1984	orbiter	success	radar mapping; identical to Venera 15
Vega 1		SAS	11 June 1985	flyby	success	went on to fly by Halley's comet
				lander	failure	instruments deployed prematurely
				atmospheric balloon	success	floated at an altitude of about 54 km and transmitted for around 46 hours
Vega 2		SAS	15 June 1985	flyby	success	went on to fly by Halley's comet
				lander	success	transmitted from surface for 56 minutes
				atmospheric balloon	success	floated at an altitude of about 54 km and transmitted for around 46 hours
Galileo		NASA	10 February 1990	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to Jupiter; minimum distance 16,000 km
Magellan		NASA	10 August 1990 – 12 October 1994	orbiter	success	global radar mapping

1998 – 2015

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Cassini		NASA/ ESA/ ASI	26 April 1998	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to Saturn
			24 June 1999
Venus Express		ESA	11 April 2006 – 18 January 2015	orbiter	success	atmospheric studies; planetary imaging; magnetic observations
MESSENGER		NASA	24 October 2006	flyby	success	gravity assist only; minimum distance 2990 km
			6 June 2007		success	minimum distance 300 km; en route to Mercury
Akatsuki (PLANET-C)		JAXA	7 December 2010	orbiter	failure	failed to attain Venus orbit.
IKAROS		JAXA	8 December 2010	flyby	success	solar sail technology development / interplanetary space exploration
Shin'en (UNITEC-1)		UNISEC	December 2010?	flyby	failure	contact lost shortly after launch
Akatsuki (PLANET-C)		JAXA	7 December 2015	orbiter	en route	planned second attempt at orbit insertion when craft next approaches Venus

Proposed

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Venus In-Situ Explorer		NASA	2022?	in-situ explorer	planned
Venera-D		RKA	2024	orbiter	planned

Earth flybys

Main article: List of Earth flybys

These are probes that incidentally performed Earth flybys during missions to other bodies, often as part of gravity-assist orbital manoeuvres.

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Closest Approach	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Giotto (first pass)		ESA	2 July 1990	flyby	22,730 km	success	first Earth flyby, en route to Comet Grigg–Skjellerup
Galileo (first pass)		NASA	8 December 1990	flyby	301 km	success	gravity assist en route to Jupiter; minimum distance 960 km
Sakigake (first pass)		ISAS	8 January 1992	flyby	88,790 km	success	previously visited Halley's comet
Suisei		ISAS	20 August 1992	flyby	failure	failure	previously visited Halley's comet; hydrazine depleted, further planned comet flybys abandoned
Galileo (second pass)		NASA	8 December 1992	flyby		success	gravity assist en route to Jupiter; minimum distance 305 km
Sakigake (second and third passes)		ISAS	14 June 1993	flyby
			28 October 1994	flyby			out of fuel; telemetry contact lost November 1995
NEAR Shoemaker		NASA	23 January 1998	flyby	540 km	success	gravity assist en route to Eros
Nozomi (first pass)		ISAS	20 December 1998	flyby	1000 km	partial success	gravity assist on planned mission to Mars; valve malfunction during flyby required extra burn, which later forced alternate trajectory plan
Giotto (second pass)		ESA	1 July 1999	flyby	failure	n/a	already defunct
Cassini		NASA/ ESA/ ASI	August, 1999	flyby		success	gravity assist en route to Saturn
Stardust (first pass)		NASA	15 January 2001	flyby	6000 km	success	gravity assist en route to comet 81P/Wild
Nozomi (second pass)		ISAS	December, 2002	flyby	11,000 km	success	gravity assist en route to Mars
Nozomi (third pass)		ISAS	19 June 2003	flyby	1000 km	success	gravity assist en route to Mars
Hayabusa		ISAS	19 May 2004	flyby	20,000 km	success	en route to Itokawa
Rosetta (first pass)		ESA	4 March 2005	flyby	1950 km	success	gravity assist en route to asteroid and comet encounters
MESSENGER		NASA	2 August 2005	flyby	2348 km	success	gravity assist en route to Mercury
Stardust (second pass)		NASA	15 January 2006	flyby		success	drop-off of sample return capsule
Rosetta (second pass)		ESA	13 November 2007	flyby		success	gravity assist en route to asteroid and comet encounters
Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI) (first pass)		NASA	31 December 2007	flyby	15,567	success	previously visited Comet 9P/Tempel; gravity assist en route to encounter with Comet 103P/Hartley
Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI) (second pass)		NASA	December 2008	flyby	43,450 km	success	gravity assist
Stardust (third pass)		NASA	14 January 2009	flyby	9200 km	success	mission extension to Comet 9P/Tempel; minimum distance 9200 km
Rosetta (third pass)		ESA	13 November 2009	flyby		success	gravity assist en route to asteroid and comet encounters
Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI) (third pass)		NASA	June 2009	distant flyby		success
Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI) (fourth pass)		NASA	December 2009	distant flyby		success
Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI) (fifth pass)		NASA	June 2010	flyby	36,900 km	success
Juno		NASA	9 October 2013	flyby	559 km	success	gravity assist en route to Jupiter
Hayabusa 2		JAXA	3 December 2015	flyby		en route	gravity assist en route to Asteroid 162173 Ryugu
PROCYON		JAXA	3 December 2015	flyby		en route	was en route to Asteroid 2000 DP107 but mission abandoned

Lunar probes

See List of lunar probes

1958

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer 0		DOD	17 August 1958	orbiter	failure	first attempted launch beyond Earth orbit; launch vehicle failure; maximum altitude 16 km		[7]
Luna E-1 No.1		USSR	23 September 1958	impactor	failure	launch vehicle failure		[8]
Pioneer 1		NASA/ DOD	11 October 1958	orbiter	failure	second stage premature shutdown; maximum altitude 113,800 km; some data returned		[9]
Luna E-1 No.2		USSR	12 October 1958	impactor	failure	launch vehicle failure		[10]
Pioneer 2		NASA/ STL	8 November 1958	orbiter	failure	third stage failure; maximum altitude 1,550 km; some data returned		[11]
Luna E-1 No.3		USSR	4 December 1958	impactor	failure	launch vehicle failure		[12]
Pioneer 3		NASA/ DOD	6 December 1958	flyby	failure	fuel depletion; maximum altitude 102,360 km; some data returned		[13]

1959

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Luna 1		USSR	4 January 1959	flyby	partial success	first spacecraft in the vicinity of the Moon (flew within 5,995 km, but probably an intended impactor)		[14]
Luna E-1A No.1		USSR	18 June 1959	impactor	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[15]
Pioneer 4		NASA/ DOD	4 March 1959	flyby	partial success	achieved distant flyby; first US probe to enter solar orbit		[16]
Luna 2		USSR	14 September 1959	impactor	success	first impact on Moon		[17]
Pioneer P-1		NASA	24 September 1959?	orbiter?	failure	designation sometimes given to a failed launch or launchpad explosion during testing; conflicting information between sources
Luna 3		USSR	6 October 1959	flyby	success	first images from the lunar farside		[18]
Pioneer P-3		NASA	26 November 1959	orbiter	failure	disintegrated shortly after launch		[19]

1960

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Luna 1960A†		USSR	15 April 1960	flyby	failure	failed to attain correct trajectory		[20]
Luna 1960B†		USSR	16 April 1960	flyby	failure	launch vehicle failure		[21]
Pioneer P-30		NASA	25 September 1960	orbiter	failure	second stage failure; failed to reach Earth orbit		[22]
Pioneer P-31		NASA	15 December 1960	orbiter	failure	first stage failure		[23]

1962–1963

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Ranger 3		NASA	28 January 1962	impactor	failure	missed target		[24]
Ranger 4		NASA	26 April 1962	impactor	failure	hit the lunar farside; no data returned		[25]
Ranger 5		NASA	21 October 1962	impactor	failure	power failure, missed target		[26]
Sputnik 25		USSR	5 January 1963	lander	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit		[27]
Luna 1963B†		USSR	2 February 1963	lander?	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[28]
Luna 4		USSR	5 April 1963	lander?	failure	missed target, became Earth satellite		[29]

1964

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Ranger 6		NASA	2 February 1964	impactor	partial success	impacted, but no pictures returned due to power failure		[30]
Luna 1964A†		USSR	21 March 1964	lander	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[31]
Luna 1964B†		USSR	20 April 1964	lander	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[32]
Ranger 7		NASA	31 July 1964	impactor	success	returned pictures up until impact		[33]

1965

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Ranger 8		NASA	20 February 1965	impactor	success	returned pictures up until impact		[34]
Cosmos 60		USSR	12 March 1965	lander	failure	failed to leave Earth orbit		[35]
Ranger 9		NASA	24 March 1965	impactor	success	TV broadcast of live pictures up until impact		[36]
Luna 1965A†		USSR	10 April 1965	lander?	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit?		[37]
Luna 5		USSR	12 May 1965	lander	failure	crashed into Moon		[38]
Luna 6		USSR	8 June 1965	lander	failure	missed Moon		[39]
Zond 3		USSR	20 July 1965	flyby	success	possibly originally intended as a Mars probe, but target changed after launch window missed		[40]
Luna 7		USSR	7 October 1965	lander	failure	crashed into Moon		[41]
Luna 8		USSR	6 December 1965	lander	failure	crashed into Moon		[42]

1966

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Luna 9		USSR	3 February 1966 – 6 February 1966	lander	success	first soft landing; first images from the surface		[43]
Cosmos 111		USSR	1 March 1966	orbiter	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit		[44]
Luna 10		USSR	3 April 1966 – 30 May 1966	orbiter	success	first artificial satellite of the moon		[45]
Luna 1966A†		USSR	30 April 1966	orbiter?	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[46]
Surveyor 1		NASA	2 June 1966	lander	success	first US soft landing; Surveyor program performed various tests in support of forthcoming manned landings		[47]
Explorer 33		NASA	1 July 1966 – 15 September 1971	orbiter	partial success	studied interplanetary plasma, cosmic rays, magnetic fields and solar X rays; failed to attain lunar orbit as intended, but achieved mission objectives from Earth orbit		[48]
Lunar Orbiter 1		NASA	14 August 1966 – 29 October 1966	orbiter	success	photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission		[49]
Luna 11		USSR	28 August 1966 – 1 October 1966	orbiter	success	gamma-ray and X-ray-based observations of Moon's composition; gravity, radiation and meteorite studies		[50]
Surveyor 2		NASA	23 September 1966	lander	failure	crashed into Moon		[51]
Luna 12		USSR	25 October 1966 – 19 January 1967	orbiter	success	lunar surface photography		[52]
Lunar Orbiter 2		NASA	10 November 1966 – 11 October 1967	orbiter	success	photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission		[53]
Luna 13		USSR	24 December 1966	lander	success	TV pictures of lunar landscape; soil measurements		[54]

1967

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Lunar Orbiter 3		NASA	8 February 1967 – 9 October 1967	orbiter	success	photographic mapping of lunar surface; intentionally impacted after completion of mission		[55]
Surveyor 3		NASA	20 April 1967 – 4 May 1967	lander	success	various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming manned landings		[56]
Lunar Orbiter 4		NASA	May–October 1967	orbiter	success	lunar photographic survey		[57]
Explorer 35		NASA	July 1967 – 24 June 1973	orbiter	success	studies of interplanetary plasma, magnetic fields, energetic particles and solar X rays		[58]
Surveyor 4		NASA	17 July 1967	lander	failure	crashed into Moon		[59]
Lunar Orbiter 5		NASA	5 August 1967 – 31 January 1968	orbiter	success	lunar photographic survey; intentionally impacted after completion of mission		[60]
Surveyor 5		NASA	11 September 1967 – 17 December 1967	lander	success	various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming manned landings		[61]
Zond 1967A†		USSR	28 September 1967		failure	lunar capsule test flight; launch failure		[62]
Surveyor 6		NASA	10 November 1967 – 14 December 1967	lander	success	various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming manned landings		[63]
Zond 1967B†		USSR	22 November 1967		failure	lunar capsule test flight; launch failure		[64]

1968

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Surveyor 7		NASA	10 January 1968 – 21 February 1968	lander	success	various studies, primarily in support of forthcoming manned landings; fifth and final Surveyor mission to achieve soft landing		[65]
Luna 1968A†		USSR	7 February 1968	orbiter?	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[66]
Zond 4		USSR	2 March 1968 (launch)			lunar programme flight test, directed away from Moon, either intentionally or unintentionally		[67]
Luna 14		USSR	10 April 1968 – ?	orbiter	success	tests of radio communications technologies; lunar mascon studies		[68]
Zond 1968A†		USSR	23 April 1968	flyby?	failure	launch failure		[69]
Zond 5		USSR	18 September 1968	flyby	success	bioscience experiments; returned to soft landing on Earth		[70]
Zond 6		USSR	14 November 1968	flyby	success	cosmic-ray, micrometeoroid and bioscience studies; returned to soft landing on Earth		[71]

1969

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Zond 1969A†		USSR	20 January 1969	flyby	failure	launch aborted		[72]
Luna 1969A†		USSR	19 February 1969	rover	failure	launch vehicle failure		[73]
Zond L1S-1†		USSR	21 February 1969	orbiter	failure	launch vehicle failure		[74]
Luna 1969B†		USSR	15 April 1969	sample return?	failure	launch failure		[75]
Luna 1969C†		USSR	14 June 1969	sample return	failure	launch failure		[76]
Zond L1S-2†		USSR	3 July 1969	orbiter	failure	launch failure		[77]
Luna 15		USSR	21 July 1969	sample return?	failure?	completed 52 lunar orbits then crash-landed		[78]
Zond 7		USSR	11 August 1969	flyby	success	returned to soft landing on Earth		[79]
Cosmos 300		USSR	23 September 1969	sample return	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit		[80]
Cosmos 305		USSR	22 October 1969	sample return	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit		[81]

1970

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Luna 1970A†		USSR	6 February 1970	sample return?	failure	launch vehicle failure		[82]
Luna 1970B†		USSR	19 February 1970	orbiter?	failure	launch vehicle failure		[83]
Luna 16		USSR	20 September 1970	sample return	success	first robotic sample return		[84]
Zond 8		USSR	24 October 1970	flyby	success	returned to soft landing on Earth		[85]
Luna 17		USSR	17 November 1970 – 4 October 1971	lander	success	deployed rover		[86]
	Lunokhod 1			rover	success	first robotic rover; travelled over 10 km

1971–1983

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Luna 18		USSR	11 September 1971	lander/sample return?	failure	crashed into Moon		[87]
Luna 19		USSR	3 October 1971 – October 1972	orbiter	success			[88]
Luna 20		USSR	21 February 1972	sample return	success	second successful robotic sample return		[89]
Soyuz L3†		USSR	23 November 1972	orbiter	failure	launch failure		[90]
Luna 21		USSR	15 January 1973 – May 1973?	lander	success	deployed rover		[91]
	Lunokhod 2			rover	success	second robotic rover; travelled 37 km
Explorer 49		NASA	15 June 1973 – June 1975	orbiter	success	radio astronomy observations; last US lunar mission until 1994		[92]
Mariner 10		NASA	November 1973	flyby	success	en route to Venus and Mercury
Luna 22		USSR	2 June 1974 – November 1974	orbiter	success			[93]
Luna 23		USSR	6 November 1974	sample return	failure	damaged on landing, sample return failed		[94]
Luna 1975A†		USSR	16 October 1975	sample return	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit		[95]
Luna 24		USSR	18 August 1976	sample return	success	third and final successful sample return in Luna programme		[96]
ICE (formerly ISEE3)		NASA	22 December 1983	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to comet flybys		[97]

1990–1999

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Hiten		ISAS	March 1990 – October 1991	flyby (approached 10 times)	success	in Moon-crossing Earth orbit from January 1990, later transferred to lunar orbit after failure of Hagoromo; intentionally impacted on Moon at end of mission; first Japanese probe to enter lunar orbit		[98]
			February 1992 – April 1993	orbiter	success
	Hagoromo	ISAS	March 1990	orbiter	failure	released by Hiten into lunar orbit, but transmitter failed and orbit never confirmed
GEOTAIL		ISAS / NASA	September 1992 – November 1994	flyby (approached 14 times)	success	gravity assist en route magnetotail around L2 / finally deployed into high Earth orbit		[99]
Clementine		BMDO/ NASA	February – June 1994	orbiter	partial success	lunar and Earth observations and component testing; planned Geographos flyby failed		[100]
HGS-1		Hughes Global Services	May/June 1998			errant communications satellite, flew within 6,200 kilometers of Moon during orbit correction manoeuvres		[101]
Lunar Prospector		NASA	January 1998 – July 1999	orbiter	success	lunar surface mapping; intentionally impacted into polar crater at end of mission to test for liberation of water vapour (not detected)		[102]
Nozomi		ISAS	24 September 1998	flyby	success	gravity assists on planned mission to Mars		[103]
			18 December 1998	flyby	success

2000–2009

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
SMART-1		ESA	13 November 2004 – 3 September 2006	orbiter	success	technology testbed and lunar geological studies; intentionally impacted at end of mission; first European probe to orbit the Moon		[104]
SELENE (Kaguya)		JAXA	3 October 2007 – 10 June 2009	orbiter	success	mineralogical, geographical, magnetic and gravitational observations		[105]
	Okina (Relay Star)		9 October 2007 – 12 February 2009	Kaguya subsatellite	success	relay for Kaguya's Far Side operations
	Ouna (VRAD)		12 October 2007 – 29 June 2009	Kaguya subsatellite	success (still in orbit)	Very Long Baseline Interferometry
Chang'e 1		CNSA	5 November 2007 – 1 March 2009	orbiter	success	3D lunar mapping and geological observations; first Chinese probe to orbit a body besides Earth		[106]
			1 March 2009	impactor	success	collect data in preparation for future soft landing.		[107]
Chandrayaan-1		ISRO	8 November 2008 – 29 August 2009	orbiter	partial success	high resolution three-dimensional mapping, search water in polar region (first detected water, published Science paper jointly with NASA) and spectral analysis of the Moon's surface and inner compositions		[108]
	Moon Impact Probe (MIP)		14 November 2008	impactor	success	test and demonstrate targeting technologies in anticipation of future soft landings, scientific observation of the Moon from close range		[109]
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter		NASA	23 June 2009 –	orbiter	in orbit	survey of lunar resources and identification of possible landing sites		[110]
	LCROSS		9 October 2009	impactor	success	analyzed upper-stage impact plume for traces of water liberated from the Moon's surface		[111]

2010–present

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Chang'e 2		CNSA	1 October 2010 – 27 August 2011	orbiter	success	capture high resolution images of soft landing site for Chang'e 3, measure and analyze content of the surface		[112]
ARTEMIS P1		NASA	2 July 2011 –	orbiter	in orbit	to study the effect of the solar wind on the lunar surface		[113]
ARTEMIS P2		NASA	17 July 2011 –	orbiter	in orbit	to study the effect of the solar wind on the lunar surface		[114]
GRAIL A		NASA	31 December 2011 – 17 December 2012	orbiter	success	mapped the Moon's gravitational field; intentionally impacted at end of mission		[115]
GRAIL B		NASA	1 January 2012 – 12 December 2012	orbiter	success	mapped the Moon's gravitational field; intentionally impacted at end of mission		[116]
LADEE		NASA	6 September 2013 – 18 April 2014	orbiter	success	study the lunar exosphere and dust; intentionally impacted at end of mission		[117]
Chang'e 3		CNSA	1 December 2013	orbiter	in progress	soft lander; successfully landed on Moon with Yutu rover 14 December 2013.		[118]
				lander/rover
Chang'e 5-T1		CNSA	23 October 2014	orbiter	in progress	Engineering test article for reentry from lunar trajectory, carries secondary private payload 4M		[119]

Mars probes

Main articles: Exploration of Mars and List of missions to Mars

1960s

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Mars 1960A		USSR	10 October 1960	flyby	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit
Mars 1960B		USSR	14 October 1960	flyby	failure	failed to reach Earth orbit
Mars 1962A		USSR	24 October 1962	flyby	failure	exploded in or en route to Earth orbit
Mars 1962B		USSR	11 November 1962 (launch)	lander	failure	broke up during transfer to Mars trajectory
Mars 1		USSR	19 June 1963	flyby	failure	contact lost en route; flew within approximately 193,000 km of Mars
Mariner 3		NASA	5 November 1964	flyby	failure	protective shield failed to eject, preventing craft from attaining correct trajectory
Zond 2		USSR	6 August 1965	flyby	failure	contact lost en route; flew within 1,500 km of Mars
Mariner 4		NASA	15 July 1965	flyby	success	first close-up images of Mars
Mariner 6		NASA	31 July 1969	flyby	success
Mariner 7		NASA	5 August 1969	flyby	success
Mars 1969A		USSR	27 March 1969	orbiter	failure	launch failure
Mars 1969B		USSR	2 April 1969	orbiter	failure	launch failure

1970s and 1980s

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Mariner 8		NASA	9 May 1971	orbiter	failure	launch vehicle failure
Mariner 9		NASA	14 November 1971	orbiter	success	first spacecraft to orbit another planet
Mars 2		USSR	November 1971 – August 1972	orbiter	success	first Russian spacecraft to orbit another planet
	Mars 2 Lander	USSR	27 November 1971	lander and short range rover	failure	crashed; first manmade object to reach surface of Mars
Mars 3		USSR	December 1971 – August 1972	orbiter	partial success	attained a different orbit than intended due to insufficient fuel
	Mars 3 Lander	USSR	2 December 1971	lander and short range rover	failure	contact lost 110 sec after soft landing
Cosmos 419		USSR	10 May 1971	orbiter	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
Mars 4		USSR	10 February 1974	orbiter	failure	orbit insertion failed, became flyby
Mars 5		USSR	February 1974	orbiter	success
Mars 6		USSR	12 March 1974	flyby	success
	Mars 6 Lander	USSR	12 March 1974	lander	failure	contact lost 148 sec after parachute deployment (returned 224 seconds of atmospheric data)
Mars 7		USSR	9 March 1974	flyby	success
	Mars 7 Lander	USSR	9 March 1974	lander	failure	missed Mars
Viking 1 Orbiter		NASA	June 1976 – August 1980	orbiter	success
	Viking 1 Lander	NASA	20 July 1976 – 13 November 1982	lander	success	first images from surface
Viking 2 Orbiter		NASA	August 1976 – July 1978	orbiter	success
	Viking 2 Lander	NASA	3 September 1976 – 11 April 1980	lander	success
Phobos 1		USSR	7 July 1988 (launch)	orbiter	failure	contact lost en route to Mars
Phobos 2		USSR	29 January 1989 – 27 March 1989	orbiter	partial success	Mars orbit acquired, but contact lost shortly before Phobos approach phase and deployment of Phobos landers

1990s

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Mars Observer		NASA	25 September 1992 (launch)	orbiter	failure	contact lost shortly before Mars orbit insertion
Mars 96		RKA	16 November 1996 (launch)	orbiter	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit
				lander
				lander
				penetrator
				penetrator
Mars Pathfinder		NASA	4 July 1997 – 27 September 1997	lander	success
	Sojourner	NASA	6 July 1997 – 27 September 1997	rover	success	first Mars rover
Mars Global Surveyor		NASA	12 September 1997 – 2 November 2006	orbiter	success
Mars Climate Orbiter		NASA	23 September 1999	orbiter	failure	Mars orbit insertion failed due to navigation error
Mars Polar Lander		NASA	3 December 1999	lander	failure	contact lost just prior to entering Martian atmosphere
	Deep Space 2 "Amundsen"	NASA	3 December 1999	penetrator
	Deep Space 2 "Scott"	NASA	3 December 1999	penetrator

2000 – present

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
2001 Mars Odyssey		NASA	24 October 2001 –	orbiter	success	studying climate and geology; communications relay for Spirit and Opportunity rovers
Nozomi		ISAS	14 December 2003	orbiter	failure	failed to attain Mars orbit, became flyby
Mars Express		ESA	25 December 2003 –	orbiter	success	surface imaging and mapping; first European probe in Martian orbit
	Beagle 2		25 December 2003	lander	failure	lost for 11 years. Spotted recently by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
MER-A "Spirit"		NASA	4 January 2004 – 22 March 2010	rover	success	became stuck in May 2009; then operating as a static science station until contact lost in March 2010
MER-B "Opportunity"		NASA	25 January 2004 –	rover	success
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter		NASA	10 March 2006 –	orbiter	success	surface imaging and surveying
Rosetta		ESA	25 February 2007	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to asteroid and comet encounters
Phoenix		NASA	25 May 2008 – 10 November 2008	lander	success	collection of soil samples near the northern pole to search for water and investigate Mars' geological history and biological potential
Dawn		NASA	17 February 2009	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to Vesta and Ceres
Yinghuo-1		CNSA	8 November 2011 (launch)	orbiter	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit; launched with Fobos-Grunt Phobos lander
MSL Curiosity		NASA	6 August 2012 –	rover	in operation	investigation of past and present habitability, climate and geology
Mars Orbiter Mission		ISRO	24 September 2014 –	orbiter	in operation	technology development; will study atmosphere & conduct mineralogical mapping.
MAVEN		NASA	25 September 2014 –	orbiter	in operation	will study Martian atmosphere

Proposed

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
InSight		NASA	2016	lander	planned
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter		ESA/ RKA	2016	orbiter, lander	planned
ExoMars rover		ESA/ RKA	2018	rover	planned
Mars 2020		NASA	2020	rover	planned
Mars Sample Return Mission		NASA/ ESA	2024?	orbiter, lander, rover, and sample return	under study

Phobos probes

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Phobos 1		USSR	7 July 1988 (launch)	flyby	failure	contact lost en route to Mars
	DAS	USSR	2 September 1988	fixed lander	failure	never deployed
Phobos 2		USSR	27 March 1989 (contact lost)	flyby	failure	attained Mars orbit; contact lost prior to deployment of lander
	DAS	USSR	27 March 1989	fixed lander	failure	never deployed
	"Frog"	USSR	27 March 1989	mobile lander	failure	never deployed
Fobos-Grunt		RKA	8 November 2011 (launch)	sample return	failure	failed to escape Earth orbit; launched with Yinghuo-1 Mars orbiter

Ceres probes

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Dawn		NASA	March 6, 2015	orbiter	in orbit	first spacecraft to orbit two different celestial bodies; previously visited Vesta

Asteroid probes

Target	Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
951 Gaspra	Galileo		NASA	29 October 1991	flyby	success	en route to Jupiter; minimum distance 1900 km
243 Ida	Galileo		NASA	28 August 1993	flyby	success	en route to Jupiter; minimum distance 2400 km; discovery of the first asteroid satellite Dactyl
1620 Geographos	Clementine		BMDO/ NASA	1994	flyby	failure	flyby cancelled due to equipment malfunction
253 Mathilde	NEAR Shoemaker		NASA	27 June 1997	flyby	success	flew within 1200 km of 253 Mathilde en route to 433 Eros
433 Eros	NEAR Shoemaker		NASA	January 1999	orbiter	failure	became flyby due to software and communications problems (later attempt at orbit insertion succeeded; see below)
9969 Braille	Deep Space 1		NASA	29 July 1999	flyby	partial success	no close-up images due to camera pointing error; went on to visit comet 19P/Borrelly
2685 Masursky	Cassini		NASA/ ESA/ ASI	23 January 2000	distant flyby	success	en route to Saturn
433 Eros	NEAR Shoemaker		NASA	February 2000 – February 2001	orbiter, became lander	success	improvised landing by orbiter at end of mission
5535 Annefrank	Stardust		NASA	November 2, 2002	distant flyby	success	went on to visit comet 81P/Wild
25143 Itokawa	Hayabusa		ISAS	2005–07	sample return	success	landed on Itokawa in 2005 and returned to Earth in 2010
		MINERVA	ISAS	12 November 2005	hopper	failure	missed target
132524 APL	New Horizons		NASA	June 2006	distant flyby	success	en route to Pluto
2867 Šteins	Rosetta		ESA	5 September 2008	flyby	success	en route to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
21 Lutetia	Rosetta		ESA	11 July 2010	flyby	success	en route to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
4 Vesta	Dawn		NASA	16 July 2011 – 5 September 2012	orbiter	success	first spacecraft to orbit two different celestial bodies; now orbiting Ceres
4179 Toutatis	Chang'e 2		CNSA	13 December 2012	flyby	success
162173 Ryugu	Hayabusa 2		JAXA	2018	sample return	en route	to return Earth in 2020
		Minerva II-1A	JAXA	2018	hopper	en route
		Minerva II-1B	JAXA	2018	hopper	en route
		Minerva II-2	JAXA	2018	hopper	en route
		MASCOT	DLR/ CNES	2018	mobile lander	en route
2000 DP107	PROCYON		JAXA	12 May 2016	flyby	failure	mission abandoned after ion thruster failure

Jupiter probes

Main article: Exploration of Jupiter

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer 10		NASA	3 December 1973	flyby	success	first probe to cross the asteroid belt; first Jupiter probe; first man-made object on an interstellar trajectory; now in the outer regions of the Solar System but no longer contactable
Pioneer 11		NASA	4 December 1974	flyby	success	went on to visit Saturn
Voyager 1		NASA	5 March 1979	flyby	success	went on to visit Saturn
Voyager 2		NASA	9 July 1979	flyby	success	went on to visit Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
Ulysses (first pass)		ESA/ NASA	February 1992	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to inclined heliocentric orbit for solar polar observations
Galileo Orbiter		NASA/ DLR	7 December 1995 – 21 September 2003	orbiter	success	also flew by various of Jupiter's moons; intentionally flown into Jupiter at end of mission; first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter; first spacecraft to flyby an asteroid
	Galileo Probe	NASA/ DLR	7 December 1995	atmospheric probe	success	first probe to enter Jupiter's atmosphere
Cassini		NASA/ ESA/ ASI	December 2000	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to Saturn
Ulysses (second pass)		ESA/ NASA	2003–04	distant flyby	success
New Horizons		NASA	28 February 2007	flyby	success	gravity assist en route to Pluto
Juno		NASA	5 August 2011 (launch)	orbiter	en route
JUICE		ESA	2022 (launch)	orbiter	planned	planned to eventually enter orbit around Ganymede to become the first probe to orbit a natural satellite of another planet
Europa Clipper		NASA	2020s	orbiter	under study	planned to orbit Jupiter and fly by Europa multiple times

Saturn probes

Main article: Exploration of Saturn

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer 11		NASA	1 September 1979	flyby	success	previously visited Jupiter
Voyager 1		NASA	12 November 1980	flyby	success	previously visited Jupiter
Voyager 2		NASA	5 August 1981	flyby	success	previously visited Jupiter, went on to visit Uranus and Neptune
Cassini		NASA/ ESA/ ASI	1 July 2004 –	orbiter	success	also performed flybys of a number of Saturn's moons, and deployed the Huygens Titan lander; first spacecraft to orbit Saturn

Titan probes

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Huygens		ESA	14 January 2005	atmospheric probe, lander	success	deployed by Cassini; first probe to land on a satellite of another planet
Titan Saturn System Mission		ESA/ NASA	October 2029	orbiter, montgolfière, lander	under study

Uranus probes

Main article: Exploration of Uranus

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Voyager 2		NASA	24 January 1986	flyby	success	previously visited Jupiter and Saturn; went on to visit Neptune

Neptune probes

Main article: Exploration of Neptune

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Voyager 2		NASA	25 August 1989	flyby	success	previously visited Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus

Pluto probes

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
New Horizons		NASA	14 July 2015	flyby	success	will flyby Kuiper belt object 2014 Mu69 on January 1, 2019 when it is 43.4 AU from the Sun.

Comet probes

Target	Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
21P/Giacobini-Zinner	ICE (formerly ISEE3)		NASA	11 September 1985	flyby	success	previously solar monitor ISEE3; went on to observe Halley's Comet
1P/Halley	Vega 1		SAS	6 March 1986	flyby	success	minimum distance 8,890 km; previously visited Venus
1P/Halley	Suisei		ISAS	8 March 1986	flyby	success	151,000 km
1P/Halley	Vega 2		SAS	9 March 1986	flyby	success	minimum distance 8,890 km; previously visited Venus
1P/Halley	Sakigake		ISAS	March 1986	distant flyby	partial success	minimum distance 6.99 million km
1P/Halley	Giotto		ESA	14 March 1986	flyby	success	minimum distance 596 km; went on to visit comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup
1P/Halley	ICE (formerly ISEE3)		NASA	28 March 1986	distant obser- vations	success	minimum distance 32 million km; previously visited comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
26P/Grigg-Skjellerup	Giotto		ESA	10 July 1992	flyby	success	previously visited Halley's Comet
45P/ Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova	Sakigake		ISAS	1996	flyby	failure	contact lost; previously visited Halley's Comet
21P/Giacobini-Zinner	Sakigake		ISAS	1998	flyby	failure
55P/Tempel-Tuttle	Suisei		ISAS	1998	flyby	failure	abandoned due to lack of fuel; previously visited Halley's Comet
21P/Giacobini-Zinner	Suisei		ISAS	1998	flyby	failure
19P/Borrelly	Deep Space 1		NASA	22 September 2001	flyby	success	previously visited asteroid 9969 Braille
2P/Encke	CONTOUR		NASA	2003	flyby	failure	contact lost shortly after launch
81P/Wild	Stardust		NASA	2 January 2004	flyby, sample return	success	sample returned January 2006; also visited asteroid 5535 Annefrank
9P/Tempel	Deep Impact		NASA	July 2005	flyby	success
		Impactor	NASA	4 July 2005	impactor	success
73P/ Schwassmann-Wachmann	CONTOUR		NASA	2006	flyby	failure	contact lost shortly after launch
6P/d'Arrest	CONTOUR		NASA	2008	flyby	failure	contact lost shortly after launch
103P/Hartley	Deep Impact (redesignated EPOXI)		NASA	4 November 2010	flyby	success	mission extension (target changed from comet Boethin)
9P/Tempel	Stardust (redesignated NExT)		NASA	14 February 2011	flyby	success	mission extension
67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko	Rosetta		ESA	2014–15	orbiter	success	flybys of asteroids 2867 Šteins and 21 Lutetia also scheduled
		Philae	ESA	2014	lander	success

Probes leaving the Solar System

See also: List of artificial objects leaving the Solar System

Spacecraft	Organization	Notes	Image	Ref
Pioneer 10	NASA	Left Jupiter in December 1973. Mission ended March 1997. Last contact January 23, 2003. Craft now presumed dead; no further contact attempts planned.
Pioneer 11	NASA	Left Saturn in September 1979. Last contact September 1995. The craft's antenna cannot be manoeuvred to point to Earth, and it is not known if it is still transmitting. No further contact attempts are planned.
Voyager 1	NASA	Left Saturn in November 1980. Still in regular contact and transmitting scientific data (as of December 2014). Contact hoped to be maintained until at least 2020.
Voyager 2	NASA	Left Neptune in August 1989. Still in regular contact and transmitting scientific data (as of December 2014). Contact hoped to be maintained until at least 2020.
New Horizons	NASA	Left Pluto July 14, 2015; Pluto mission to last until early 2016, proposed Kuiper Belt missions to begin in 2018/2019.

Other probes to leave Earth orbit

For completeness, this section lists probes that have left (or will leave) Earth orbit, but are not targeted at any of the above bodies.

Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Location	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
WMAP		NASA	30 June 2001 (launch) – to October 2010 (end)	Sun-Earth L2 point	success	cosmic background radiation observations; sent to graveyard orbit after 9 years of use.
Spitzer Space Telescope		NASA	25 August 2003 (launch) – still active (as of December 2010)	Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit	success	infrared astronomy
Chang'e 2		CNSA	25 August 2011(arrive) to 15 April 2012(end)	Sun-Earth L2 point	success	Left the point on 15 April 2012, then flew by asteroid 4179 Toutatis.
Kepler		NASA	6 March 2009 (launch)	Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit	operational	search for extrasolar planets
Herschel Space Observatory		ESA	14 May 2009 (launch)	Lissajous orbit around Sun-Earth L2 point	completed	study of formation and evolution of galaxies and stars
Planck		ESA	14 May 2009 (launch)	Lissajous orbit around Sun-Earth L2 point	completed (2009-2013)	cosmic microwave background observations
IKAROS		JAXA	20 May 2010 (launch)	Earth-Venus transfer heliocentric orbit	operational	solar sail technology development / interplanetary space exploration
Shin'en (UNITEC-1)		UNISEC			failure	technology development; contact lost shortly after launch
Gaia		ESA	19 December 2013 (launch)	Lissajous orbit around Sun-Earth L2 point	success	astrometry mission to measure the position and motion of 1 billion stars
LISA Pathfinder		ESA	2015 (launch)	Halo orbit around Sun-Earth L1 point	planned	test mission for proposed LISA gravitational wave observatory
James Webb Space Telescope		NASA ESA CSA	2018 (launch)	Sun-Earth L2 point	planned	infrared astronomy
Euclid		ESA	2020 (launch)	Halo orbit around Sun-Earth L2 point	planned	measure the rate of expansion of the Universe through time to better understand dark energy and dark matter

Cancelled probes and missions

Target	Spacecraft		Organization	Date	Type	Status	Notes	Image	Ref
Mercury	BepiColombo Mercury Surface Element		ESA		lander	cancelled
Moon	LUNAR-A		JAXA		orbiter, penetrators	cancelled	originally scheduled for 2004, cancelled 2007
Mars	Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander		NASA	2001	lander	cancelled
Mars	Beagle 2: Evolution			2004	lander	cancelled
Mars	NetLander		CNES/ ESA		lander	cancelled
Mars	Mars Telecommunications Orbiter		NASA	2010	orbiter	cancelled
Phobos	Aladdin		NASA		sample return	not selected
Europa	Europa Orbiter		NASA		orbiter	cancelled
Europa	Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter		NASA		orbiter	cancelled
Ganymede	Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter		NASA		orbiter	cancelled
Callisto	Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter		NASA		orbiter	cancelled
Pluto	Pluto Fast Flyby		NASA	2010	flyby	cancelled	Re-proposed as Pluto Kuiper Express
Pluto	Pluto Kuiper Express		NASA	2012	flyby	cancelled	Replaced by New Horizons
4660 Nereus	Hayabusa		ISAS		sample return	cancelled	rerouted to 25143 Itokawa
3840 Mimistrobell	Rosetta		ESA	2006	flyby	cancelled	rerouted
4979 Otawara	Rosetta		ESA	2006	flyby	cancelled	rerouted
4660 Nereus	Near Earth Asteroid Prospector		SpaceDev		sample return	cancelled
46P/Wirtanen	Rosetta		ESA	2011	orbiter	cancelled	rerouted to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

See also

• Discovery and exploration of the Solar System
• Robotic spacecraft
• Satellites
• Sample return mission
• Timeline of Solar System exploration

External links

• Planetary Society: Cassini’s Tour of the Saturn System