Lunar and Planetary Science at the NSSDCA

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What's New in Lunar & Planetary Science

The NASA Mars 2020 "Perseverance" rover mission launched successfully on 30 July at 11:50 UT (7:50 a.m. EDT). It is targeted to make a landing in Jezero crater on 18 February 2021. The mission also carries a small rotorcraft named Ingenuity.

The Chinese Tianwen 1 Mars orbiter and lander/rover launched on 23 July at 04:41 UT from Wenchang Space Launch Center. It will go into Mars orbit in February 2021, and the lander and rover will touch down in Utopia Planitia 2 to 3 months later.

The United Arab Emirates Hope Mars mission launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on 19 July at 21:58:14 UT (1:58 a.m. July 20 UAE time). It will arrive at Mars in February 2021.

This Day in Planetary and Lunar Exploration History

1959: Launch of Explorer 6, first satellite to transmit images of Earth back from space.
1969: Launch of Zond 7 circumlunar Earth return mission.
1976: Viking 2 reaches Mars and enters orbit.