ASTR 109 WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT (Hamilton)
due Wednesday September 10

Find out about a currently (or very recently) active spaceprobe engaged in Solar System research. Here is a partial list to choose from, but feel free to choose another mission that is not on this list. The only requirements are that your chosen probe is still active and that it has already returned some scientific data from a distant object.

  • Messenger (Mercury, Venus)
  • Venus Express (Venus)
  • Selene (Moon)
  • Chang'e 1 (Moon)
  • Phoenix (Mars)
  • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (Mars)
  • Mars Exploration Rovers (Mars)
  • Epoxi (Extrasolar Planets, Comets)
  • Dawn (Asteroids Vesta and Ceres)
  • Cassini (Saturn)
  • New Horizons (Pluto, Jupiter)

    Write an essay (up to two A4 sides) discussing the space mission that you have researched and its scientific findings. Use the web to search for missions from the space exploration groups NASA, ESA, and JAXA or for other mission that you have heard about. Put the scientific results in context by giving a short history of your space mission and discussing its intended purpose.

    Please use at least two sources, and cite these sources at the end of your paper. Summarize your findings in your own words - as always do not simply copy material from books or websites.

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