Moon exploration has long been an exciting prospect, drawing the interest of various agencies and private companies alike – though their attempts often resulted in mixed outcomes. Surveyor 5 was equipped with a scoop designed to “weigh” lunar rocks, returning images that helped scientists map its surface composition. Mission controllers sent it crashing towards the…
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has broken speed records over the last several years by continuously approaching closer and faster towards the Sun, picking up speed with each pass. But, what exactly is spacecraft speed, and how are scientists measuring it? In order to answer this question, let’s first determine what we mean by “speed.” To…
Mercury’s heavily cratered surface can help scientists piece together its 4.6 billion year history, but its fragile atmosphere provides little protection from UV radiation or micrometeoroids striking its surface. Spacecraft bound for Mercury must be constructed using heat-resistant materials and feature sophisticated navigation and communication systems, in addition to gravity assists and advanced propulsion systems….
Mercury orbits quickly around the Sun and scientists seeking to understand its mysteries have quickly identified a spacecraft capable of reaching it within sufficient timeframe. Slowing a spacecraft with flybys may be straightforward, but getting it to Mercury’s speed requires more complicated methods. Here’s how scientists plan to achieve their goal. Mariner 10 Chen-Wan Yen…
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Scientists are still trying to gather answers about Mars. They wish to know whether the planet ever supported life and how its evolution might have progressed. Researchers must also understand what it will be like for future manned spacecraft to travel there, including weather forecasting and how to access safe drinking water sources. How long…
JPL launches spacecraft into orbit via launch vehicles like Soyuz or NASA’s shuttles; each one designed for specific tasks. They must generate enough thrust to counter the force of gravity pulling down on them, but to do that they require lots of fuel. How a Spacecraft is Launched Spacecraft may be efficient machines, but their…
