Space probes operational as of November 2023

This is a list of active space probes which have escaped Earth orbit. It includes lunar space probes, but does not include space probes orbiting at the Sun–Earth Lagrangian points (for these, see 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 Voyager 1 is still contactable enroute to the Oort Cloud and has exited the Solar System, it is listed as "mission complete" because its primary task of studying Jupiter and 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

See also: Moon § Infrastructure

Mercury

Venus

Mars

The oldest active spacecraft for Mars is 2001 Mars Odyssey

Asteroids and comets

Heliocentric orbit

Outer Solar System

Montage of planets and some moons that the two Voyager spacecraft have visited and studied, still active in the 2020s they are heading out into interstellar space returning data from newly explored distances

See also

References

  1. ^ "NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: QUEQIAO". NASA. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  2. ^ "NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: 2018-103A". NASA. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. ^ "NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, Mission ID: BEPICLMBO". NASA. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Crippled space probe bound for second chance at Venus". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" Inserted Into Venus' Orbit". Japan aerospace exploration agency. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  6. ^ "NASA's Mars Odyssey Shifting Orbit for Extended Mission | Mars Today …". Archived from the original on 7 September 2012.
  7. ^ "ESA Science & Technology: Mars Express". European Space Agency. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  8. ^ "ESA Science & Technology: Green light for continued operations of ESA science missions". European Space Agency. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  9. ^ NASA.gov
  10. ^ Frazier, Sarah (28 January 2019). "All Systems Go As Parker Solar Probe Begins Second Sun Orbit". NASA. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  11. ^ Lewin, Sarah (29 January 2019). "Once Around the Sun! NASA's Parker Solar Probe Aces 1st Trip Around Our Star". Space.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  12. ^ a b JPL.NASA.GOV. "Where are the Voyagers – NASA Voyager". voyager.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  13. ^ "Voyager - The Spacecraft". JPL. 1989. Retrieved 2021-02-28.