Key Achievements of Prominent Space Missions
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon.
- Launched on July 16, 1969, by NASA, it successfully landed on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969.
- Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon, while Michael Collins orbited above.
- Armstrong's famous quote, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind," symbolised the achievement.
- Returned to Earth on July 24, 1969, with 47.5 pounds of lunar samples.
Chandrayaan
Chandrayaan was India's first lunar exploration mission.
- Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on October 22, 2008.
- Discovered water molecules on the lunar surface, revolutionising lunar science.
- Mapped the Moon's surface and produced high-resolution images.
- It signalled India's entry into the elite club of lunar exploration nations.
Perseverance Rover
The Perseverance Rover is a Mars exploration vehicle designed to search for signs of past life.
- Launched on July 30, 2020, and landed on Mars on February 18, 2021.
- Equipped with advanced scientific instruments to analyse soil and rock samples.
- First rover to successfully produce oxygen from Martian carbon dioxide.
- Collected samples for a future return mission, helping to pave the way for human exploration on Mars.
Europa Clipper
Europa Clipper is an upcoming mission aiming to explore Jupiter's moon, Europa.
- Scheduled for launch in the 2020s by NASA to investigate the moon's icy surface and subsurface ocean.
- Will utilise a suite of scientific instruments to assess Europa's habitability.
- Potentially key in finding out if there are conditions suitable for life beyond Earth.
- Mission will enhance our understanding of icy moons and their role in planetary systems.
