31 Oct 2024
Credit: Pixabay
Top Speed: 430,000 mph (700,000 km/h) Mission: Launched by NASA in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is designed to study the Sun's outer corona by flying closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft in history. Record: Holds the title of the fastest human-made object, with plans to reach even higher speeds by leveraging gravity assists from the Sun.
Credit: Google
Top Speed: 157,078 mph (252,792 km/h) Mission: Launched in 1976, Helios 2 was a joint mission between NASA and Germany to study solar processes. It orbited closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft at the time. Record: It held the record for the fastest spacecraft for several decades until the Parker Solar Probe.
Credit: Google
Top Speed: 24,791 mph (39,897 km/h) Mission: Launched in 1969, Apollo 10 served as a "dress rehearsal" for the Apollo 11 Moon landing. It orbited the Moon but did not land. Record: Holds the record for the fastest crewed vehicle, achieved upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Credit: Google
Top Speed: 28,856 mph (46,446 km/h) Mission: Launched in 1999, Stardust's goal was to collect dust samples from the tail of Comet Wild 2 and return them to Earth. Record: One of the fastest unmanned spacecraft, Stardust returned valuable data about cometary dust and interstellar particles.
Credit: Google
Top Speed: 36,373 mph (58,536 km/h) Mission: Launched in 2006 by NASA, New Horizons flew past Pluto in 2015, providing humanity’s first close-up images of the dwarf planet and its moons. Record: Fastest launch speed of any spacecraft to leave Earth’s atmosphere.
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Top Speed: 38,000 mph (61,000 km/h) Mission: Launched in 1977, Voyager 1’s primary mission was to study the outer planets, but it has since traveled beyond our solar system, entering interstellar space. Record: Holds the record for the most distant human-made object from Earth and continues to send back valuable data about the outer reaches of the solar system.
Credit: Google
Top Speed: 165,000 mph (265,000 km/h) (relative to Jupiter’s gravitational pull) Mission: Launched in 2011, Juno's mission was to study Jupiter’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and gravity field. Record: Reached immense speeds due to gravitational assists from Jupiter, enabling it to provide unprecedented insights into the gas giant’s structure.
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Top Speed: ~18,000 mph (29,000 km/h) (in Low Earth Orbit) Mission: The Atlas V is a launch vehicle used for various missions, including Mars rovers, military satellites, and interplanetary probes. Record: Known for its high boost-phase speed, enabling it to launch missions to other planets and support NASA and commercial payloads effectively.
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Top Speed: 25,000 mph (40,000 km/h) (in Low Earth Orbit) Mission: Used for the Apollo missions, Saturn V was instrumental in getting astronauts to the Moon. It remains the most powerful rocket ever used for crewed missions. Record: Famous for its reliability, Saturn V propelled Apollo missions beyond Earth orbit to lunar speeds and was key to the success of NASA's Moon landings.
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Top Speed: ~16,800 mph (27,000 km/h) (in Low Earth Orbit) Mission: Developed by SpaceX, Falcon Heavy is used for launching heavy payloads and missions like the launch of the Tesla Roadster and the U.S. Air Force's payloads. Record: While not the fastest in interplanetary travel, Falcon Heavy boasts one of the highest payload capacities and speeds in Low Earth Orbit.
Credit: Google