View source for Astronomy:List of active Solar System probes

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[[File:Solar System Missions.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Space probes operational as of November 2023]]
This is a '''list of active space probes''' which have escaped [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]]. It includes [[Astronomy:List of missions to the Moon|lunar space probes]], but does not include [[Engineering:Space probe|space probe]]s orbiting at the Sun–Earth [[Astronomy:Lagrangian point|Lagrangian point]]s (for these, see [[Astronomy:List of objects at Lagrangian points|List of objects at Lagrangian points]]). A craft is deemed "active" if it is still able to transmit usable data to Earth (whether or not it can receive commands).

The craft are further grouped by mission status – "en route", "mission in progress" or "mission complete" – based on their primary mission.  For example, though ''[[Astronomy:Voyager 1|Voyager 1]]'' is still contactable enroute to the Oort Cloud and has exited the [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]], it is listed as "mission complete" because its primary task of studying [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]] and [[Astronomy:Saturn|Saturn]] has been accomplished. Once a probe has reached its first primary target, it is no longer listed as "en route" whether or not further travel is involved.

==Missions in progress==
===Moon===
{{Also|Moon#Infrastructure}}
*'''[[Astronomy:THEMIS|ARTEMIS P1/P2]]'''
** Mission: studying the effect of the solar wind on the Moon. Originally launched as Earth satellites, they were later repurposed and moved to lunar orbit.
**Launched: February 17, 2007
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]] (in [[Astronomy:Lunar orbit|lunar orbit]])
**Arrival: July 2011
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
*'''[[Astronomy:Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter|Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter]]'''
**Mission: Orbiter engaged in lunar mapping intended to identify safe landing sites, locate potential resources on the Moon, characterize the radiation environment, and demonstrate new technology.
**Launched: 18 June 2009
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]] (in [[Astronomy:Lunar orbit|lunar orbit]])
**Arrival: 23 June 2009
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
*'''Queqiao'''
**Mission: [[Astronomy:Halo orbit|Halo orbit]]er serving as communications satellite for [[Astronomy:Chang'e 4|Chang'e 4]] lunar far-side mission; conducting joint China-Netherlands low frequency astronomy experiment.
**Launched: 21:28 UT on 20 May 2018<ref name="NSSDCA-QQ">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=QUEQIAO|title=NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: QUEQIAO|publisher=NASA|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>
**Destination: in [[Astronomy:Halo orbit|halo orbit]] about Earth-Moon [[Astronomy:Lagrangian point|L<sub>2</sub>]]
**Arrival: 14 June 2018
**Institution: {{flagicon|CHN|size=15px}} [[Organization:China National Space Administration|CNSA]]
*'''Lander, Rover: [[Astronomy:Chang'e 4|Chang'e 4]]'''
**Mission: Lander engaging in low-frequency radio spectrometry experiment, neutron and dosimetry experiment, and biological experiment. Rover seeking to characterize lunar far-side environment (including possible lunar mantle material) using visible/near-infrared spectrometer, ground penetrating radar, cameras, and neutral particle analyzer.<ref name="NSSDCA-Chang'e4">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2018-103A|title=NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: 2018-103A|publisher=NASA|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>
**Launched: 18:23 UT on 8 December 2018
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Lunar]] far side
**Arrival: 02:26 UT on 3 January 2019
**Institution: {{flagicon|CHN|size=15px}} [[Organization:China National Space Administration|CNSA]]
*'''[[Astronomy:Chandrayaan-2|Chandrayaan-2]] Orbiter''' 
**Mission: engaged in lunar topography and mineralogy, elemental abundance, the lunar exosphere, and signatures of hydroxyl and water.
**Launched: 22 July 2019
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]] (in [[Astronomy:Lunar orbit|lunar orbit]])
**Arrival: 20 August 2019
**Institution: {{flagicon|India|size=15px}} [[Astronomy:ISRO|ISRO]]
*'''[[Astronomy:CAPSTONE|CAPSTONE]]'''
**Mission: Lunar orbiting [[Engineering:CubeSat|CubeSat]] that will test and verify the calculated orbital stability planned for the [[Astronomy:Lunar Gateway|Gateway]] space station.
**Launched: 28 June 2022
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]] (in a [[Astronomy:Near-rectilinear halo orbit|Near-rectilinear halo orbit]] (NRHO))
**Arrival: 14 November 2022
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
*'''Danuri ([[Astronomy:Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter|Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter]])'''
**Mission: Lunar Orbiter by the [[Organization:Korea Aerospace Research Institute|Korea Aerospace Research Institute]] (KARI) of {{wipe|South Korea}}. The orbiter, its science payload and ground control infrastructure are technology demonstrators. The orbiter will also be tasked with surveying [[Astronomy:Lunar resources|lunar resources]] such as [[Astronomy:Lunar water|water ice]], [[Chemistry:Uranium|uranium]], [[Physics:Helium-3|helium-3]], [[Chemistry:Silicon|silicon]], and [[Chemistry:Aluminium|aluminium]], and produce a topographic map to help select future lunar landing sites.
**Launched: 4 August 2022
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Moon|Moon]] (in [[Astronomy:Lunar orbit|lunar orbit]])
**Arrival: 16 December 2022
**Institution: collaboration between {{flagicon|South Korea|size=15px}}[[Organization:Korea Aerospace Research Institute|KARI]] and {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
*'''[[Astronomy:EQUULEUS|EQUULEUS]]'''
**Mission: [[Astronomy:Halo orbit|Halo orbit]]er to  image the Earth's [[Astronomy:Plasmasphere|plasmasphere]], impact craters on the [[Astronomy:Far side of the Moon|Moon's far side]] and L2 experiments.
**Launched: 16 November 2022
**Destination: in [[Astronomy:Halo orbit|halo orbit]] about Earth-Moon [[Astronomy:Lagrangian point|L<sub>2</sub>]]
**Arrival: November 2022 
**Institution: {{flagicon|JPN|size=15px}} [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]]

=== Mercury ===
*'''[[Astronomy:BepiColombo|BepiColombo]]'''
** Mission: Spacecraft consists of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO or ''Mio'').  MTM and MPO are built by ESA while the MMO is mostly built by [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]]. Once the MTM delivers the MPO and MMO to Mercury orbit, the two orbiters will have the following objectives: to study Mercury's form, interior structure, geology, composition, and craters; to study the origin, structure, and dynamics of its magnetic field; to characterize the composition and dynamics of Mercury's vestigial atmosphere; to test Einstein's theory of general relativity; to search for asteroids sunward of Earth; and to generally study the origin and evolution of a planet close to a parent star.<ref name="NSSDCA-BEPICLMBO">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=BEPICLMBO|title=NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: BEPICLMBO|publisher=NASA|access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>
**Launched: 01:45:28 UT on 19 October 2018
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]
**Arrival: En route (anticipated to enter Mercury polar orbit on 5 December 2025)
**Institution: [[Image:ESA logo simple.svg|15px]] ESA {{flagicon|Japan|size=15px}} [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]]

=== Venus ===
*'''Akatsuki'''
** Mission: The first {{wipe|Japan}}ese [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]]ian probe. Also known as ''Planet-C'' and ''Venus Climate Orbiter'', ''Akatsuki'' failed to enter Venusian orbit in December 2010. It continued to function and entered Venus orbit in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1111/21akatsuki/ |title=Crippled space probe bound for second chance at Venus |publisher=Spaceflight Now |access-date=21 November 2011}}</ref><ref name=JAXA2015>{{cite web |url=http://global.jaxa.jp/press/2015/12/20151209_akatsuki.html |title=Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" Inserted Into Venus' Orbit |date=9 December 2015 |publisher=Japan aerospace exploration agency |access-date=28 December 2015}}</ref>
**Launched: 20 May 2010
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Venus|Venus]]
**Arrival: 7 December 2015
**Institution: {{flagicon|Japan|size=15px}} JAXA
**Subprobes: [[Engineering:IKAROS|IKAROS]] and [[Engineering:Shin'en (spacecraft)|Shin'en]]

===Mars===
[[File:Odyssey over Martian Sunrise DVIDS684264.jpg|thumb|The oldest active spacecraft for Mars is ''2001 Mars Odyssey'']]

*'''''[[Astronomy:2001 Mars Odyssey|2001 Mars Odyssey]]'''''
**Mission: Mars Odyssey was designed to map the surface of Mars and also acts as a relay for the ''Curiosity'' rover.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marstoday.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=26694 |title=NASA's Mars Odyssey Shifting Orbit for Extended Mission &#124; Mars Today … |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907062450/http://www.marstoday.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=26694 |archive-date=7 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Its name is a tribute to the novel and 1968 film ''2001: A Space Odyssey''.
**Launched: 7 April 2001
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 24 October 2001
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''''[[Astronomy:Mars Express|Mars Express]]'''''
**Mission: Mars orbiter designed to study the planet's atmosphere and geology and search for sub-surface water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sci.esa.int/mars-express/|title=ESA Science & Technology: Mars Express|publisher=[[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref> In 2017 the mission was extended until at least the end of 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sci.esa.int/director-desk/59839-green-light-for-continued-operations-of-esa-science-missions/|title=ESA Science & Technology: Green light for continued operations of ESA science missions|date=7 December 2017|publisher=[[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref>
**Launched: 2 June 2003
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 25 December 2003
**Institution: [[Image:ESA logo simple.svg|15px]] [[Organization:European Space Agency|ESA]]

*'''''[[Astronomy:Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter|Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]]'''''
**Mission:  the second NASA satellite orbiting Mars. It is specifically designed to analyze the landforms, stratigraphy, minerals, and ice of the red planet.
**Launched: 12 August 2005
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 10 March 2006
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''''Curiosity'' rover'''
**Mission: searching for evidence of organic material on Mars, monitoring methane levels in the atmosphere, and engaging in exploration of the landing site at Gale Crater.
**Launched: 26 November 2011
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 6 August 2012
**Institution:  {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''[[Astronomy:MAVEN|MAVEN]]''' — ''Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution''.
**Mission: study the Martian upper atmosphere and its gradual loss to space
**Launched: 18 November 2013
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: September 2014
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''[[Astronomy:ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter|Trace Gas Orbiter]]''' (ExoMars 2016)
**Mission: study methane and other trace gases in the Martian atmosphere
**Launched: 14 March 2016
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrived: 19 October 2016 (Mars orbit insertion), 21 April 2018 (final orbit)
**Institution: [[Image:ESA logo simple.svg|15px]] [[Organization:European Space Agency|ESA]]

*'''[[Astronomy:Emirates Mars Mission|Emirates Mars Mission]]'''
**Mission: study weather and atmosphere.
**Launched: 19 July 2020
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 9 February 2021
**Institution: {{flagicon|UAE|size=15px}} [[Organization:United Arab Emirates Space Agency|UAESA]]

*'''[[Astronomy:Tianwen-1|Tianwen-1]] orbiter'''
**Mission: find evidence for current and past life and produce Martian surface maps. Orbital studies of Martian surface morphology, soil, and atmosphere.
**Launched: 23 July 2020
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 10 February 2021
**Institution: {{flagicon|CHN|size=15px}} [[Organization:China National Space Administration|CNSA]]

*'''[[Engineering:Perseverance (rover)|''Perseverance'' rover]]'''
**Mission: searching for evidence of organic material on Mars, and engaging in exploration of the landing site at Jezero crater.
**Launched: 30 July 2020
**Destination: Jezero crater, [[Astronomy:Mars|Mars]]
**Arrival: 18 February 2021
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

=== Asteroids and comets ===
*'''''[[Astronomy:Hayabusa2|Hayabusa2]]'''''
**Mission: asteroid study and sample-return
**Launched: 3 December 2014
**First Destination: [[Astronomy:162173 Ryugu|162173 Ryugu]]
**Arrival:  27 June 2018
**Left Ryugu: 12 November 2019
**Second Destination: {{mpl|1998 KY|26}}
**Institution: {{flagicon|Japan|size=15px}} [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]]
**Lander probe: '''[[Astronomy:Hayabusa2#Science payload|MASCOT]]''' and '''MINERVA-II'''
*'''[[Astronomy:OSIRIS-REx|OSIRIS-REx]]'''
**Mission: asteroid study and sample-return
**Launched: 8 September 2016
**Destination: [[Astronomy:101955 Bennu|101955 Bennu]]
**Arrival:  3 December 2018
**Left Bennu: 10 May 2021
**Destination: [[Astronomy:99942 Apophis|99942 Apophis]]
**Arrival:  April 2029
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]<ref>[https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/osiris-rex/in-depth/ NASA.gov]</ref>
*'''[[Engineering:Lucy (spacecraft)|Lucy]]'''
**Mission: to flyby 8 Jupiter trojan and one main belt asteroid
**Launched: 16 October 2021
**Destination: [[Astronomy:52246 Donaldjohanson|52246 Donaldjohanson]]
**Arrival:  20 April 2025
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
<!--add successive asteroid after a predecessor flyby is completed-->
*'''[[Astronomy:LICIACube|LICIACube]]'''
**Mission: to flyby a binary [[Astronomy:65803 Didymos|65803 Didymos]] asteroid system, [[Astronomy:65803 Didymos|65803 Didymos]] and [[Astronomy:Dimorphos|Dimorphos]] 
**Launched: 24 November 2021
**Destination:[[Astronomy:65803 Didymos|65803 Didymos]] and [[Astronomy:Dimorphos|Dimorphos]] (flyby)
**Arrival: 26 September 2022
**Institution: {{flagicon|Italy|size=15px}} [[Organization:Italian Space Agency|ASI]]
*'''[[Engineering:Psyche (spacecraft)|Psyche]]'''
**Mission: to orbit a main belt asteroid
**Launched: 13 October 2023
**Destination: [[Astronomy:16 Psyche|16 Psyche]]
**Arrival:  August 2029
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

===Heliocentric orbit===

*'''[[Astronomy:Parker Solar Probe|Parker Solar Probe]]'''
**Mission: observation of solar wind, magnetic fields, and coronal energy flow.
**Launched: 12 August 2018
**Destination: low solar orbit, perihelion 6.9 million km
**Arrival: 19 January 2019<ref>{{cite news |last=Frazier |first=Sarah |date=28 January 2019 |title=All Systems Go As Parker Solar Probe Begins Second Sun Orbit |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/2019/01/28/all-systems-go-as-parker-solar-probe-begins-second-sun-orbit/ |work=[[Organization:NASA|NASA]] |access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lewin |first=Sarah |date=29 January 2019 |title=Once Around the Sun! NASA's Parker Solar Probe Aces 1st Trip Around Our Star |url=https://www.space.com/43165-parker-solar-probe-aces-first-sun-orbit.html |work=Space.com |access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref>
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
*'''[[Astronomy:Solar Orbiter|Solar Orbiter]]'''
** Mission: detailed measurements of the inner heliosphere and nascent solar wind, and close observations of the polar regions of the Sun.
** Launched: 10 February 2020
**Destination: High inclination solar orbit
** Arrival: Operational orbit in 2023
**Institution: [[Image:ESA logo simple.svg|15px]] [[Organization:European Space Agency|ESA]]

===Outer Solar System===
[[File:Voyager probes with the outer worlds.jpg|thumb|440px|Montage of planets and some moons that the two [[Astronomy:Voyager program|Voyager]] spacecraft have visited and studied, still active in the 2020s they are heading out into interstellar space returning data from newly explored distances]]

*'''''[[Engineering:Juno (spacecraft)|Juno]]'''''
**Mission: studying [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]] from [[Astronomy:Polar orbit|polar orbit]]. Originally intended to de-orbit into the Jovian atmosphere after 2021, now operating until 2025.
**Launched: 5 August 2011
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]]
**Arrival: 4 July 2016
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''''[[Astronomy:Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer|JUICE]]'''''
**Mission: mission to study Jupiter's three icy moons [[Astronomy:Callisto (moon)|Callisto]], [[Astronomy:Europa (moon)|Europa]] and [[Astronomy:Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede]], eventually orbiting Ganymede as the first spacecraft to orbit a satellite of another planet.
**Launched: 14 April 2023
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]]
**Arrival: July 2031 (en route)
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede]]
**Arrival: December 2034 (en route)
**Institution: {{flagicon|EU|size=15px}} ESA

*'''''[[Astronomy:New Horizons|New Horizons]]'''''
**Mission: the first spacecraft to study Pluto up close, and ultimately the Kuiper Belt. It was the fastest spacecraft when leaving Earth and will be the fifth probe to leave the Solar System.
**Launched: 19 January 2006
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Pluto|Pluto]] and [[Astronomy:Charon (moon)|Charon]]
**Arrival: 14 July 2015
**Left Charon: 14 July 2015
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]

*'''''[[Astronomy:Voyager 1|Voyager 1]]'''''
**Mission: investigating Jupiter and Saturn, and the moons of these planets.  Its continuing data feed offered the first direct measurements of the heliosheath and the heliopause. It is currently the farthest man-made object from Earth, as well as the first object to leave the [[Astronomy:Heliosphere|heliosphere]] and cross into [[Astronomy:Interstellar medium|interstellar space]]. As of November 2017 it has a distance from the Sun of about 140 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|astronomical units (AU)]]<ref name="voyager">{{Cite web|url=http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/|title=Where are the Voyagers – NASA Voyager|last=JPL.NASA.GOV|website=voyager.jpl.nasa.gov|access-date=2017-11-14}}</ref> (21 billion kilometers, or 0.002 light years), and it will not be overtaken by any other current craft. In August 2012, ''Voyager 1'' became the first human-built spacecraft to enter interstellar space. Though declining, the onboard power source should keep some of the probe's instruments running until 2025.<ref name="PDS-Host">{{cite web |url=https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/ |title=Voyager - The Spacecraft |date=1989 |publisher=JPL |access-date=2021-02-28}}</ref>
**Launched: 5 September 1977
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]] and [[Astronomy:Saturn|Saturn]]
**Arrival: January 1979
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
**Primary mission completion: November 1980
**Current trajectory: entered interstellar space August 2012

*'''''[[Astronomy:Voyager 2|Voyager 2]]'''''
**Mission: studying all four gas giants. This mission was one of NASA's most successful, yielding a wealth of new information. As of November 2017 it is some 116 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]] from the Sun (17.34 billion kilometers).<ref name="voyager"/> It has left the heliosphere and crossed into interstellar space in December 2018. As with ''Voyager 1'', scientists are now using ''Voyager 2'' to learn what the Solar System is like beyond the heliosphere.
**Launched: 20 August 1977
**Destination: [[Astronomy:Jupiter|Jupiter]], [[Astronomy:Saturn|Saturn]], [[Astronomy:Uranus|Uranus]], [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]]
**Arrival: 9 July 1979
**Institution: {{flagicon|US|size=15px}} [[Organization:NASA|NASA]]
**Primary mission completion: August 1989
**Current trajectory: entered interstellar space December 2018

== See also ==
* [[Engineering:Lists of spacecraft|Lists of spacecraft]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Solar System probes}}
{{Space exploration lists and timelines}}

[[Category:Lists of spacecraft|Probes]]
[[Category:Discovery and exploration of the Solar System|Probes, Active]]
[[Category:Spaceflight timelines|Probes]]
[[Category:Solar System-related lists|Probes]]

{{Sourceattribution|List of active Solar System probes}}