What's New in Lunar & Planetary Science
The CNSA (China) Chang'e-6 lunar sample return mission launched on May 3 at 09:27 UT (5:27 p.m. Beijing time) on a Long March 5 booster from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center and entered lunar orbit on 02:21 UT, May 8. The Voyager 1 spacecraft successfully started transmitting engineering data on 20 April for the first time since November 14, 2023. A software fix circumvented a chip failure that had prevented useful data from being sent. For more, see the JPL news release.This Day in Planetary and Lunar Exploration History
- 1851
- Asteroid 14 Irene discovered by John Russell Hind.
- 1961
- Venera 1 becomes the first spacecraft to fly by another planet, passing within 100,000 km of Venus.
- 1971
- Launch of Mars 2 orbiter and lander, first spacecraft to reach surface of Mars.
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- NASA Official: Dr. David R. Williams
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- Last updated: 30 November 2018