One of the things that fascinates me most about space is not what lurks in the depths beyond our home planet, but that we have developed the ability to see and even explore out into those depths.
For thousands of years, our only access to the universe was through our own eyes. It wasn't until the 1600's that telescopes first allowed our eyes to see beyond their evolved limitations and glimpse at what was awaiting us. Yet, we still remained earthbound even as telescopes grew; uncovering more light from the darkness.
We finally took our first steps into that darkness only fifty-nine years ago with the launch of the first space traveler, Sputnik. Since then, numerous robotic and human explorers have transformed humanity's place in the universe.
|
Sputnik |
Of course, the Apollo missions left humanity's footprints on the Moon, but that is where our physical journey ends. For now. As a substitute for our physical limitations, the technology we have developed serves as our proxy as we probe into the unknown.
|
Apollo 11 |
Many spacecrafts have journeyed into space since the beginning of the Space Age. However, few have become so prolific and revolutionary that these missions almost seem to have an identity of there own.
January serves as an important anniversary month for our accomplishments in the new frontier.
30th Anniversary of Voyager 2 Fly-By of Uranus
Thirty years ago, Voyager 2 had it's closest approach for it's fly-by of the Uranus system. Voyager 2 saw this planet in way no human eyes had ever witnessed in person. It even discovered new moons and new rings our telescopes at the time couldn't see. After passing by Uranus at 50,600 miles, Voyager 2 was the last spacecraft to visit this world.
|
Crescent Uranus after Voyager 2 fly-by |
12th Anniversary of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, Landing on Mars
Twelve years ago, Mars history was made with the successful (and bouncy) landing of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. These plucky rovers were tasked to find evidence that Mars once had liquid water. The area where Opportunity landed was bountiful with such evidence. However, Spirit had a tougher time until a wheel malfunction was the stroke of luck the rover needed to find silicates (minerals formed formed in liquid water) buried within the martian soil. While the initial mission was only supposed to last three months, both Spirit and Opportunity proved to be the toughest rovers that could. Spirit's last phone home was in March 2010 after getting stuck in the sand. Yet, Opportunity is still going strong and sciencing the hell out of Mars.
|
Opportunity view from atop "Cape Tribulation" - January 2016 |
10th Anniversary of New Horizons Launch to Pluto
Ten years ago, the New Horizons spacecraft launched on it's long and lonely voyage to fly-by the (now) Dwarf Plant, Pluto. Just as the Voyager spacecrafts gave us our first detailed views of the planets within the outer solar system, New Horizons would finally give us an up close and personal of this faraway world. Pluto is ridiculously far from Earth (an average of 3.67 billion miles!), so it took New Horizons nine years to finally reach its destination. Almost as soon as New Horizons arrived, it was gone. Even though it only had a short fly-by, it did not disappoint. New Horizons has provided us with an unrivaled view; showing us details of the surface of Pluto and it's moons that has surprised and baffled astronomers. This brief encounter has provided us with data to last decades. New Horizons will continue to fly through the Kuiper Belt, currently on its way to another mysterious object sure to expand our understanding of these distant icy worlds.
|
Crescent Pluto after New Horizons fly-by |
Our accomplishments, and even our failures, of the past push us further into that frontier. The universe is a big place, and it's exciting to see all the different ways we try to explore.
Happy anniversary space travelers!