Huygens Probe Landed on Saturn’s Moon Titan in 2005

 Events
Jan 142024
 

Saturn and its Rings

Huygens Probe landed on Saturn’s moon Titan in 2005. The successful landing indicated Titan’s surface is covered with a powdery substance.  Scientists are still analyzing the data the probe sent back to earth. The Cassini-Huygens mission was a joint venture of the European Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency, and NASA. The mission left earth on October 15, 1997. The Cassini portion continued to send back data about Saturn and remained active until September 15, 2017 when its energy was depleted and it dove into Saturn’s atmosphere, returning data until it was no more.  Children can review data and more at: Cassini-Huygens.

NASA Released its First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope in 2022

 Events
Jul 122024
 

James Webb Space Telescope

NASA released its first images from the James Webb Space Telescope in 2022. The telescope was launched into space on December 25, 2021. Developed primarily by NASA with help from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the infrared telescope is able to basically go back in time to see the formation of the first galaxies and to locate exoplanets. The telescope is named after James Webb, NASA administrator from 1961 to 1968. It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on a Ariane 5 rocket. Children can monitor the telescope’s progress at: James Webb Telescope.

BepiColombo Was Launched in 2018

 Events
Oct 202024
 

BepiColombo was launched in 2018. The European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency worked together to launch the space explorer. BepiColombo will travel for seven years to reach Mercury. In December 2025, it will release two probes, Bepi and Mio, to research the land formation and magnetic field of the planet. Children can visit a very interesting website, including a count-up, at: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/bepicolombo/in-depth/.