NASA’s 10 Greatest Science Missions
10. Pioneer
Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11, launched in 1972 and 1973, respectively, were the first spacecraft to visit the solar system’s most photogenic gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn. Pioneer 10 was the first probe to travel through the solar system’s asteroid belt, a field of orbiting rocks between Mars and Jupiter.
9. Voyager
Shortly after the Pioneers made their flybys, the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes followed. They made many important discoveries about Jupiter and Saturn, including rings around Jupiter and the presence of volcanism on Jupiter’s moon, Io. Voyager went on to make the first flybys of Uranus, where it discovered 10 new moons, and Neptune, where it found that Neptune actually weighs less than astronomers thought.
8. WMAP
The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), launched in 2001, may not be as well-known, but it measures with unprecedented accuracy the temperature of the radiation left over from the Big Bang.
7. Spitzer
Another spacecraft with a profound effect on cosmology and astrophysics is the Spitzer Space Telescope, which observed the heavens through infrared light. This light, which has a longer wavelength than visual light, is mostly blocked by Earth’s atmosphere.
6.Spirit & Opportunity
Intended for just a 90-day mission, these workhorse Mars rovers have far outdone themselves, and are still chugging away on the red planet more than five years after landing. Spirit and Opportunity, the twin Mars Exploration Rovers, landed on opposite sides of the planet in January 2004.5. Cassini-Huygens
This joint NASA/ESA spacecraft, launched in 1997, reached its destination, Saturn, in 2004. Since then it has been in orbit around the ringed world, taking one stunning snapshot after another of the planets rings, moons and weather.4. Chandra
Since 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory has been scanning the skies in X-ray light, looking at some of the most distant and bizarre astronomical events. Because Earth’s pesky atmosphere blocks out most X-rays, astronomers couldn’t view the universe in this high-energy, short-wavelength light until they sent Chandra up to space.3. Viking
When NASA’s Viking 1 probe touched-down on Mars in July 1976, it was the first time a man-made object had soft-landed on the red planet. (Though the Soviet Mars 2 and 3 probes did land on the surface, they failed upon landing). The Viking 1 lander also holds the title of longest-running Mars surface mission, with a total duration of 6 years and 116 days. The spacecraft also sent the first color pictures back from the Martian surface, showing us what that mysterious red dot looks like from the ground for the first time.2. Hubble
The most-loved of all NASA spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope has name recognition around the world. Its photos have changed the way everyday people figure themselves into the cosmos. The observatory has also radically changed science, making breakthroughs on astronomical issues too numerous to count.1. Apollo
NASA’s best space science mission? The one humans got to tag along on, of course! Not only was sending a man to the moon monumental for human history, but the Apollo trips were the first to bring celestial stuff back to Earth and greatly advanced our scientific understanding of the moon.
(via n-a-s-a)
Source: space.com
Q:4, 10, 20, 79 :)
4: Do you find it easy to trust others?
In fact yes, and that is, I suppose, my weakness. This does leave me open to disappointment but, space and infinite and black as it seems is filled with trillions and trillions of stars. People are like that. I look for the stars before the dark matter.
10: What are you listening to?
At the moment I am listening to my brother snicker at various x factor auditions.
20: What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?
May my thoughts caress you, as my hands have done so often. Today was a long day, are you well?
79: What did you dream of last night?
Not surprisingly last night was another nightmare. (maybe I should go get my head space looked at). Not going into too much detail last night I was second officer of an escort party ferrying anonymous personal across a desert that seemed to stretch forever. We had one job, keep moving. And one rule do not look in the back of the vehicle. Naturally we failed on both accounts, the moving we failed at a myriad of times, however we only looked back once, where sat a young lady silhouetted in shadow. She wore a beautiful red dress, and wonderfully long and wavy auburn hair. The terror laid in that she had no face. There was just nothing there. This would only have been odd save for when you looked at her face she drained you of all energy, lulling you to sleep, which left many of our travel party subject to the evils of the desert that waited for us. If you fall asleep whatever was out there waiting for us seemed to be able to get to us. Our numbers dwindled quickly as the dream wore on. But they are just dreams after all.
...These are weird.
- 1: Let’s start with a tricky one; what is the real reason you are confused right now?
- 2: Do you ever get “good morning” texts from anyone?
- 3: If your significant other smoked pot, would you care?
- 4: Do you find it easy to trust others?
- 5: What were you doing at 11PM last night?
- 6: You’re drunk and lost walking down the road; who is with you?
- 7: What would you do if you found out you had been cheated on?
- 8: Are you close with your dad?
- 9: I bet you kissed someone last night, right?
- 10: What are you listening to?
- 11: You can only drink ONE liquid for the rest of your life - what is it?
- 12. Do you like hickeys?
- 13: What time do you go to bed?
- 14: Is there someone who continuously lets you down?
- 15: Can you text as quickly with one hand as you do both?
- 16: Do you always answer your texts?
- 17: Do you hate the person you fell the hardest for?
- 18: When was the last time you talked to one of your best friends?
- 19: Is there someone that makes you happy every time you see them?
- 20: What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?
- 21: Is anyone else in the room with you?
- 22: Do you believe what goes around comes around?
- 23: Were you happier four months ago than you are now?
- 24: Is there someone you wish you could fix things with?
- 25: In the past week, have you cried?
- 26: What colour is the shirt you are wearing?
- 27: Do people ever call you by your last name?
- 28: Is anyone ignoring you right now?
- 29: Do you have a best friend?
- 30: Would it be hard seeing someone else kiss the last person you kissed?
- 31: Who was your last call from?
- 32: Are you mad at anyone?
- 33: Have you ever kissed someone older than you?
- 34: How old will the last person you kissed be on his/her next birthday?
- 35: How many more days until your birthday?
- 36: Do you have any summer plans yet?
- 37: Do you have any good friends of the opposite sex?
- 38: Are you keeping anything from your best friend(s) now?
- 39: Do you have a secret that you’ve never told anyone?
- 40: Have you ever regretted kissing someone?
- 41: Do you think age matters in relationships?
- 42: Are you available?
- 43: How many people have you had real, strong feelings for since high school ended?
- 44: If you had to get a piercing (not ears), what would you get?
- 45: Do you believe exes can be friends?
- 46: Do you regret anything?
- 47: Honestly, what’s on your mind right now?
- 48: Did you ever lose a best friend?
- 49: Was your last kiss a mistake?
- 50: Why aren’t you pursuing the person you like?
- 51: Has the last person you kissed ever seen you cry?
- 52: Do you still talk with the person you LAST kissed?
- 53: What was the last thing you ate?
- 54: Did you get any compliments today?
- 55: Where are you going on your next vacation?
- 56: Do you own anything from other countries?
- 57: Are most of your friend guys or girls?
- 58: Where have you lived most of your life?
- 59: When was the last time you took a long drive?
- 60: Have you ever played Spin the Bottle?
- 61: Have you ever TPd someone’s house?
- 62: Who do you text the most?
- 63: What was the last movie you saw?
- 64: What’s preventing your current boyfriend/girlfriend from going back to their ex?
- 65: How many boyfriends/girlfriends did you have in 2010?
- 66: Is the last person you kissed younger than you?
- 67: Do you curse around your parents?
- 68: Are you happy with where you live?
- 69: Do you collect anything?
- 70: What’s your favourite colour?
- 71: Does the last song you listened to remind you of anyone?
- 72: Has anyone ever cheated on you?
- 73: What are your plans for tomorrow?
- 74: Do you have siblings over the age of twenty-one?
- 75: Does your last ex have a job?
- 76: What would you do if you found out your most recent ex was in a relationship?
- 77: Where is your cellphone?
- 78: What colour is your cellphone?
- 79: What did you dream of last night?
- 80: Are you atheist?
- 81: Will you change your name when you get married?
- 82: Are you ready for autumn weather?
- 83: Have you had any big storms recently?
- 84: What kind of bottoms are you wearing?
Source: courtnog
The world spins. We stumble on. It is enough.
(via sillylittlelifethoughts)
Source: wrists
Flying is easy. It's the learning that hard. You have to trip and forget that you're falling.
Happiness in intelligent people is a rare find.
