|
Space probe
|
Launch year
|
Significant event
|
Objective
|
Current status
|
Distance from the Sun in AU
|
| Pioneer 10 |
1972 |
Flew past Saturn in 1979 |
Study the asteroid belt, the environment around Jupiter and Saturn, solar wind and cosmic rays. |
Contact lost in 2003 |
~ 120 AU |
| Pioneer 11 |
1973 |
Flew past Saturn in 1979 |
Contact lost in 1995 |
~ 90 AU |
|
Voyager 2
|
Aug 1977 |
Passed the heliopause in December 2018 to enter interstellar space (second artificial object to leave the solar system). |
Explore all Jovian planets.
Extended mission of both the Voyagers is to study the outer reaches of the Solar System. |
Active
|
~ 129 AU
(as of Jan 2022) |
|
Voyager 1
|
Sep 1977 |
Passed the heliopause in 2012 to enter interstellar space (first artificial object to leave the solar system).
|
Explore Jupiter, Saturn, and Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. |
Active
|
~ 155 AU (as of Jan 2022)
|
|
New Horizons
|
2006 |
Flew past Pluto in 2015. It is currently travelling through Kuiper belt. |
To perform a study of Pluto, and more other Kuiper belt objects. |
Active
|
~ 53 AU (as of Jan 2022) |
|
Juno
|
2011 |
Entered a polar orbit of Jupiter in 2016 |
Study Jupiter’s composition, gravitational field, magnetic field, etc. |
Active
|
—
|