Missions to Earth

Mission Country Launch Date End Date Type Objectives

The Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon USA and France 1992 ----- Orbiter Global sea level measurements with an unprecedented
accuracy
Geotail USA July 24, 1992 ----- Orbiter Study of the dynamics of the Earth's magnetotail
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) USA September 15, 1991 ----- Orbiter Measurements of energy inputs chemistry and dynamics
of the upper atmosphere and the coupling between the
and lower atmosphere
POLAR USA February 24, 1996 ----- Orbiter Study of the energetics of high latitude polar regions
and auroral imaging
WIND USA November 1, 1994 ----- Orbiter Study of energetic particle and magnetic field input
Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) USA 1996 ----- Orbiter Study of plasma physics of the Earth's auroral regions
IMP-8 USA October 26, 1973 ----- Orbiter Measure the magnetic fields, plasma, and energetic
charged particles of the Earth's magnetosphere

An Overview of Space Exploration

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