Solar System Explorations: explorations that lead to recent knowledge about space.pptx
- 1. Solar System Explorations Earth and Life Science
- 2. Since the early 1900s, astronomers have pushed space explorations on the forefront of scientific studies to further expand the understanding of celestial bodies. The race for exploring outside Earth with the use of space technology started when the first orbiting satellite was launched in 1957.
- 3. These space explorations have helped astronomers dramatically increase their knowledge and discoveries regarding celestial bodies. The following are some of the recent and ongoing space explorations done with that objective in mind.
- 4. SCIENCE HISTORY • July 20, 1969 - Apollo 11 Landed on the Moon Apollo 11 aimed to perform a crewed landing on the moon and return to Earth. The lunar module carried Commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. When Commander Armstrong took his first step on the moon, he said:"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." He then became the first man to walk on the moon, followed by Buzz Aldrin.
- 5. August 6, 2014 - First spacecraft to orbit a comet • The European Space Agency's Rosetta Space Probe entered the orbit of Comet 67P/Churyumov- Gerasimenko and took high- resolution photographs of the comet 's surface. The Rosetta probe also followed the Comet to obtain close-up images of the formation of its coma and tail as it approaches the sun.
- 6. July 14, 2015 - New Horizons Mission • NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, the fastest spacecraft that was ever launched, provided close observations of Pluto and its moons from its nine-year voyage. Packed with the most advanced cameras and spectrometers, its reconnaissance mission included flyby missions to Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn.
- 7. July 14, 2015 - New Horizons Mission •The mission confirmed earlier speculations on the composition of Pluto, which is similar to most Kuiper Belt objects--nitrogen atmosphere, complex seasons, distinct surface markings, and ice-rock interior.
- 8. September 8, 2016- OSIRIS-REx • NASA's Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource ldentification Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), the first US mission to collect samples from an asteroid, returned to Earth on September 24, 2023 to drop off the samples it collected from asteroid Bennu.
- 9. September 8, 2016- OSIRIS-REx •These samples will help scientists in studying the formation of planets and providing additional information about asteroids that could impact Earth.
- 10. August 12, 2018 - Parker Solar Probe • The Parker Solar Probe which was launched in 2021 became the first spacecraft to fly through the sun's corona. The solar probe provided a closer look into the sun's outermost part, and expanded our knowledge of the origin and evolution of solar winds, which are valuable in providing forecast that affect life and technology on Earth.
- 11. November 26, 2018 - InSight • InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) is a geophysical spacecraft capable of descending onto the surface of Mars to study Mars' interior. It was designed to study the crust, mantle, and core of the planet. It was also designed to measure the seismic activity and meteorite impacts on the planet.
- 12. July 30, 2020 - Perseverance Rover • Manufactured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched in 2020, the Perseverance was a successor to the 2012 Curiosity Rover, which was sent to Mars to explore the Martian surface. A rover is a class of space vehicles that are equipped with technology that allows it to move across a surface.
- 13. It explored the Martian surface for more than 3 years since its landing. Its objectives include the search for environments capable of supporting microbial lite, signs of past microbial life, collect rock samples, and conduct test on oxygen production in the Martian atmosphere.
- 14. December 25, 2021 - James Webb Space Telescope • The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that was launched last December 25, 2021 aboard Ariane 5, is an infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). It has a primary mirror with a diameter of 6.5 meters, in comparison with the HST which only has 2.4 meters.
- 15. Observing astronomical objects in infrared along with a bigger primary mirror allows the telescope to see much more distant objects. Its missions are to search for the first galaxies or luminous objects that formed after the Big Bang, determine the evolution of galaxies and stars, and measure the physical and chemical properties of planetary systems.
- 16. The most recent change was done in 2006 when the definition for planet was improved and two new terms, dwarf planet and small solar system bodies, were added. In the Resolution B5 released by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), planets, dwarf planets, and small solar system bodies were defined as follows: • A planet is a celestial body that: a. in orbit around the sun; b. has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape; and c. has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.
- 18. • A dwarf planet is a celestial body that: a. is in orbit around the sun; b. has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape; c. has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit; and d. is not a satellite. Some of the most common dwarf planets are Pluto, Ceres, Makemake, and Haumea. Among these, Pluto is the most famous since it was once classified as a planet until the new definition for planets were published. Ceres is known for being the only dwarf planet that is located in the asteroid belt; Makemake is the second brightest object in the Kuiper belt; and Haumea is one of the fastest rotating dwarf planet in the Solar System.
- 20. •Small solar system bodies are all other objects except satellites orbiting around the sun. This definition includes asteroids, trans- Neptunian Objects or TNOs (objects orbiting beyond Neptune), comets, and other small celestial bodies.
- 22. While it has long been known that Mars once had oceans, in 2020, it was discovered that the valley network on Mars's surface that were previously thought of as rivers were actually from melting glacial ice, not free-flowing water. NASA's Mars Perseverance also made various discoveries from its survey of the Martian surface, including evidence of organic material, ancient lakes, and past volcanic activities. In 2024, evidence of hydrothermal and metamorphic activities that produce methane were found on the surface of the otherwise icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake in the Kuiper Belt.
Editor's Notes
- #15: In order to complete these missions, the JWST has been equipped with innovative and powerful new technologies such as microshutters, lightweight cryogenic mirrors, infrared detectors, and many more. As technologies improved, more discoveries related to the outer space were made. With new information, the terms used in astronomy became more defined.