{"id":309553,"date":"2019-06-18T15:09:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T19:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-447238"},"modified":"2024-01-23T11:44:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:44:16","slug":"solar-system-exploration-program","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/solar-system-exploration-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar System Exploration Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\" hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\"><div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-light hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none width-full flex-align-center bg-carbon-90 border-color-carbon-80 color-spacesuit-white\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"hds-secondary-nav-track\"><span>Planetary Missions Program Office<\/span><svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><\/button><div class=\"hds-secondary-nav-track grid-container grid-container-extrawide padding-0 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-2 \"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-items\"><nav><ul class=\"usa-nav__primary usa-accordion flex-justify-center margin-0\"><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetary-missions-program-office\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/planetary-mission-program-overview\/\">Overview<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Programs<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"\/><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"\/><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><\/button><ul id=\"basic-nav-section-one\" class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/discovery\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Discovery Program<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/new-frontiers\/\" rel=\"noopener\">New Frontiers Program<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/solar-system-exploration-program\/\">Solar System Exploration Program<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/lunar-surface-instrument-and-technology-payloads-lsitp\/\">Lunar Instruments & Payloads<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/planetary-missions-program-media-resources\/\">Media<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Educational Resources<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"\/><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"\/><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><\/button><ul id=\"basic-nav-section-one\" class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.nasa.gov\/specials\/planetary-missions-guidebook\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Planetary Missions Interactive<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/stem\">NASA STEM Engagement<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/stem\/foreducators\/k-12\/index.html\">STEM Curriculum<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/kids\/do-it-yourself\/?page=0&per_page=40&order=created_at+desc&search=&category=139\" rel=\"noopener\">Solar System Exploration DIY Resources<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"http:\/\/marsatschool.ethz.ch\/en\/mission\/1\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">MARS@School<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar System Exploration Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Solar System Exploration Program consists of large, strategic missions that seek to advance high priority science objectives set forth by the planetary science community. Because of their complexity, NASA typically assigns these efforts directly to a NASA center or other implementing organization. Missions within the program investigate a synergistic array of science objectives with more depth and breadth than is possible for smaller, tightly focused missions in the Discovery and New Frontiers programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The following are missions that have been selected under the Solar System Exploration Program.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"#dart\">DART<\/a>  |  <a href=\"#europa\">Europa Clipper<\/a>  |  <a href=\"#juice\">JUICE<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?w=750\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?resize=300,234 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?resize=400,312 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?resize=600,468 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dart\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarydefense\/dart\">DART<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, was the first demonstration of the kinetic impact technique to change the motion of an asteroid in space. This was a science-driven test of one of the technologies for preventing the Earth impact of a hazardous asteroid, with the primary objective to demonstrate and measure the effects of a kinetic impact on a small asteroid. The target of the binary near-Earth asteroid Didymos was successfully rendezvoused in September of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>DART was a simple, single-string spacecraft design and carried an instrument called DRACO, short for Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for OpNav. DRACO was a high-resolution imager for targeting and observation during the impact rendezvous.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg?w=750\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA's Europa Clipper \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg?resize=300,234 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg?resize=400,312 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/europa_square_0.jpg?resize=600,468 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"europa\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/missions\/europa-clipper\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Europa Clipper<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper will conduct detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter\u2019s moon Europa and investigate whether the icy moon could harbor conditions suitable for life. The mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter in order to perform a detailed investigation of Europa \u2014 a world that shows strong evidence for an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust and which could host conditions favorable for life. The mission will send a highly capable, radiation-tolerant spacecraft into a long, looping orbit around Jupiter to perform repeated close flybys of the icy moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>To develop this mission in the most cost-effective fashion, NASA is targeting to have the Europa Clipper spacecraft complete and ready for launch as early as 2023. The agency baseline commitment, however, supports a launch readiness date by 2025. The journey to Jupiter will be 6.5 years.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg?w=750\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg?resize=300,234 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg?resize=400,312 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/juice_square_0.jpg?resize=600,468 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"juice\"><a href=\"http:\/\/sci.esa.int\/juice\/\" rel=\"noopener\">JUICE<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, will investigate the emergence of habitable worlds around gas giants. It is the first large-class mission in the European Space Agency\u2019s Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, which focuses on learning what are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>JUICE will spend three years making detailed observations of the gas giant planet Jupiter and studying three of its largest moons\u2013Ganymede, Callisto and Europa\u2013in unprecedented detail. The moons are thought to harbor vast water oceans beneath their icy surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:34px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The spacecraft launched in April of 2023 and is expected to reach Jupiter in July of 2031. In December of 2034, the spacecraft will enter orbit around Ganymede.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Solar System Exploration Program The Solar System Exploration Program consists of large, strategic missions that seek to advance high priority science objectives set forth by the planetary science community. Because of their complexity, NASA typically assigns these efforts directly to a NASA center or other implementing organization. Missions within the program investigate a synergistic array [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":310901,"parent":323053,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[]},"categories":[3327],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[8391],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"Solar System Exploration Program","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/solar-system-exploration-program\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/solar-system-exploration-program\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lee Mohon"}],"creator":["Lee Mohon"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Science Mission Directorate","Planetary Science Division"],"dateCreated":"2019-06-18T19:09:50Z","datePublished":"2019-06-18T19:09:50Z","dateModified":"2024-01-23T16:44:16Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Solar System Exploration Program\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/planetarymissions\/solar-system-exploration-program\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"index\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2019-06-18T19:09:50Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Science Mission Directorate,Planetary Science Division\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Lee Mohon\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"5 years","featured_image":{"id":310901,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dart_square_0.jpg","title":"dart_square_0","alt":"Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/309553"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/topic"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/309553\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":598309,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/309553\/revisions\/598309"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/323053"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309553"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=309553"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=309553"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=309553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}