Several solar planets have been explored by spacecraft missions over the years. Here is a list of the planets that have been explored, along with notable missions and their respective dates:
1. **Mercury**:
- **Mariner 10**: Flew by Mercury three times between 1974 and 1975, providing the first close-up images.
- **MESSENGER**: Orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, conducting a detailed study of the planet's surface and environment.
2. **Venus**:
- **Mariner 2**: Flew by Venus in 1962, making it the first successful planetary mission.
- **Venera Program (USSR)**: Multiple missions between 1961 and 1984, including the first successful landing on Venus (Venera 7 in 1970) and the first images from the surface (Venera 9 in 1975).
- **Magellan**: Orbited Venus from 1990 to 1994, mapping the surface with radar.
3. **Earth**: As the home planet, Earth has been extensively studied by a multitude of satellites and space missions, so it is inherently the most explored.
4. **Mars**:
- **Mariner 4**: Flew by Mars in 1965, providing the first close-up images of the Martian surface.
- **Viking 1 and 2**: Landed on Mars in 1976, conducting experiments and taking extensive images.
- **Pathfinder/Sojourner**: Landed in 1997, featuring the first rover on Mars.
- **Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter**: Various orbiters that have studied Mars since the early 2000s.
- **Spirit and Opportunity Rovers**: Landed in 2004, with Opportunity operating until 2018.
- **Curiosity Rover**: Landed in 2012, continuing to explore Gale Crater.
- **Perseverance Rover**: Landed in 2021, exploring Jezero Crater.
- **InSight Lander**: Landed in 2018, focused on studying Mars' interior.
5. **Jupiter**:
- **Pioneer 10 and 11**: Flew by Jupiter in 1973 and 1974.
- **Voyager 1 and 2**: Flew by in 1979, providing detailed images and data.
- **Galileo**: Orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003, studying its moons and atmosphere.
- **Juno**: Arrived in 2016, currently studying Jupiter's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and interior structure.
6. **Saturn**:
- **Pioneer 11**: Flew by Saturn in 1979.
- **Voyager 1 and 2**: Flew by in 1980 and 1981, providing detailed images.
- **Cassini**: Orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, studying the planet, its rings, and its moons in detail.
7. **Uranus**:
- **Voyager 2**: Flew by Uranus in 1986, providing the only close-up images and data of the planet and its moons.
8. **Neptune**:
- **Voyager 2**: Flew by Neptune in 1989, providing detailed images and data of the planet and its moons.
These missions have significantly increased our understanding of the Solar System's planets, revealing their unique characteristics and environments.
