From 2018 through 2022, NASA is marking a series of important milestones – the 60th anniversary of the agency’s founding by Congress in 1958, and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions that put a dozen Americans on the Moon between July 1969 and December 1972.
From 2018 through 2022, NASA is marking a series of important milestones – the 60th anniversary of the agency’s founding by Congress in 1958, and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions that put a dozen Americans on the Moon between July 1969 and December 1972. Celebrations already are under way. Some are complete, some are scheduled in the coming months, and some are still being planned.
For nearly six decades, we've led the peaceful exploration of space, making discoveries about our planet, our solar system, and our universe. Let's take a look back...
Since our doors first opened nearly 60 years ago, we’ve launched missions to explore our solar system and universe. Take a look back at our history of exploring the cosmos in this #NASA60th Twitter moment:
NASA60th
In 60 years, we went from standing on the surface of the Earth, looking up, to actually visiting these places.
During our past 60 years of existence, we’ve advanced our understanding of @NASASolarSystem and beyond by continually asking “What’s out there?”. Learn more about our story of exploration, innovation and discovery: https://go.nasa.gov/2NBhSD0
What’s out there?
We send robotic explorers to pave the way for humans: https://youtu.be/0are7UM5kMU #NASA60th
Exploring our solar system is no easy feat, but the Voyager missions made it look easy! In 2012 Voyager 1 became our 1st craft to reach interstellar space. It did flybys of Jupiter and Saturn on its way out, giving us these gorgeous images ... and lots of science.
NASA has spent six decades studying our Solar System. Soon, @OSIRISREx, part of the New Frontiers Program managed at Marshall, will reach its target. Find out why Bennu is the perfect asteroid to study. http://go.nasa.gov/2LbffBY
#DYK that just 30 years ago, scientists didn’t know if there were planets orbiting other stars besides our own Sun? Thanks to observations from our @NASAKepler space telescope, scientists now believe every star is home to at least one planet: https://go.nasa.gov/2O5zAhm
Only 11 years after its founding, @NASA achieved the extraordinary.
Robotic rovers play a critical role in our exploration of the solar system. @NASA rovers began exploring the Martian surface over 20 years ago, beginning with what some argue to be the cutest of our wheeled explorers, Sojourner, seen here in 1997.
Helios 2, a joint German-American mission, launched in January 1976. Later that year, it came within 27 million miles of the Sun — the current record for a close solar approach by a human-made object! https://go.nasa.gov/2pHnDAV #NASA60th
Ever wonder... what's out there? 🤔 Celebrate the #NASA60th anniversary, with a look back at 60 years of explorations to solve the "Mysteries of the Universe." Download & print this crossword puzzle to help check reading comprehension. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/60th-universe-crossword-puzzle.html
When NASA began 60 years ago, there were questions about the universe humans had been asking since we first looked up into the night sky. A full fleet of telescopes and satellites is helping solve those mysteries: https://go.nasa.gov/2QVRCRT
In 2012, 35 years after its launch, @NASAVoyager 1 became the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space! Its data is teaching us about the boundary of the heliosphere, the bubble of space shaped by the solar wind: https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/interstellar-mission/
What are the origins of the planets? How have they changed? Over the last 60 years, we've launched a variety of spacecraft to explore our solar system. As we celebrate the #NASA60th Anniversary on October 1, look back at @NASASolarSystem exploration: https://go.nasa.gov/2NG8duO
As we celebrate #NASA60th, we take a look back on some of our favorite images captured over the years by @NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory, managed by #NASAMarshall. MORE >> http://go.nasa.gov/2O8anmF
Happy discover-versary to Neptune this week! It was discovered in September 1846 by Johann Galle at the Berlin Observatory! In 1989, @NASAVoyager 2 was the first, and so far only, probe to pay Neptune a visit on its journey through our solar system.
In 1990, space shuttle Discovery launched the @NASA & @esa Ulysses mission — the first spacecraft to survey the space environment above and below our Sun's poles. https://go.nasa.gov/2xNU5Fb
Flying at high altitudes above some light-blocking parts of the atmosphere, we've had a long history of using airplanes to study space. These airborne observatories have helped us conduct observations to learn about distant planets and objects: https://go.nasa.gov/2DvPL3p
Every day, we bring the universe to you! As we honor the #NASA60th anniversary, see how we have answered questions about the universe that humans had been asking since we first looked up into the night sky through the use of our telescopes & satellites: https://go.nasa.gov/2NCJV5d
Ready for a day at the lake? Maybe not at this one. In September 2006, @CassiniSaturn flew by Saturn's moon, Titan, and took this image. Titan's mystery lies in lakes like this one, which contain methane & ethane instead of water.
