With the advancements in rocketry in the 1950s and 1960, answering these questions became a possibility. In 1959, the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 took the first images of the backside of the moon and in 1964, the American spacecraft Mariner 4 made the first fly-by of Mars. The quest to understand our closest neighbors has only grown since these early days. NASA Ames has played an active role in this quest with the development of new technologies that make the missions to our neighbors possible.

Among NASA Ames’ contributions was the venerable Pioneer 10, the first spacecraft to leave the solar system and the Lunar Prospector spacecraft the discovered water on the Moon. Today, NASA Ames continues to contribute to the exploration of our solar system with the development of thermal protection materials, software control systems and diagnostic systems for planetary spacecraft and new communications and intelligent systems for rover missions to Mars and other planets.

As NASA expands its exploration or our solar system, NASA Ames will be an integral part of making those missions a success.