Happy 50th to Me (Eventually)

[james_davis_nicoll]

I just noticed that MESSENGER will go into orbit around Mercury on March 18, 2011, which happens to be my birthday.

Here's a stupid question: MESSENGER's primary mission ends one year after it finally goes into orbit around Mercury. PLANET-C examining Venus from 2010 to 2012. Earth, of course, has so many satellites around it two of them recently collided. MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY should reach Mars in 2012. DAWN will be in the vicinity of Vesta from 2011 to 2012.

[knock wood re funding for some of those]

Is 2012 going to be the first year in which all the Terrestrial planets (and a minor planet) have at least one probe in orbit around them?

Comments

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

You mean "at least one human-built probe".

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

I think so, tho in 1980, we got three of four: assorted satellites peering down at Earth, the Vikings at Mars, and Pioneer Venus in the obvious place.

1980 was a very good year

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

...and Voyager 1 flew by Saturn on 12 Nov 1980. By then, NASA had turned off both Viking orbiters, tho they were still in working order, and the Viking 1 lander was still talking to us.

[nebogipfel.livejournal.com]

Good observation - we indeed live in the golden age of unmanned space exploration.

Young whippersnapper!

[knight--owl.livejournal.com]

Ha-rump!

(grins)