Spacecraft Classification - Revision history

Michel Lamontagne at 17:19, 1 January 2023

2023-01-01T17:19:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:19, 1 January 2023
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	The sky is ~~scattered~~ with many different types of spacecraft. ~~Although so many, we~~ can ~~easily~~ differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in ~~the sky right now~~: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.		The sky is speckled with many different types of spacecraft. We can differentiate Spacecraft from one another using Spacecraft Classification.
			These are the main types of Spacecraft in space today: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft and Communications Spacecraft.

	This classification uses the spacecraft function to differentiate the spacecraft. Other classification systems are possible, powered vs unpowered, crewed vs non-crewed, etc.		This classification uses the spacecraft function to differentiate the spacecraft. Other classification systems are possible, powered vs unpowered, crewed vs non-crewed, etc.
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	__NOTOC__		__NOTOC__
	==Flyby Spacecraft==		==Flyby Spacecraft==
	Flyby spacecraft ~~are spacecraft that~~ are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a ~~continuous~~ orbit around the sun.		Flyby spacecraft are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one, instead following a larger orbit around the sun.

	These types of Spacecraft have to be able to record science and data as their objects pass by. Flyby spacecraft must also be able to transmit and store data and science as well as survive very long periods in harsh conditions in the journey between planets.		These types of Spacecraft have to be able to record science and data as their objects pass by. Flyby spacecraft must also be able to transmit and store data and science as well as survive very long periods in harsh conditions in the journey between planets.

Michel Lamontagne at 15:41, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T15:41:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:41, 2 September 2021
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	The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.		The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.

	~~In this article, I will be going over~~ the ~~functions of each~~ spacecraft ~~and notable examples~~.		This classification uses the spacecraft function to differentiate the spacecraft. Other classification systems are possible, powered vs unpowered, crewed vs non-crewed, etc.

	__NOTOC__		__NOTOC__

Michel Lamontagne at 15:34, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T15:34:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:34, 2 September 2021
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	The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.		The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.

	In this article, I will be going over the ~~pros and cons~~ of each spacecraft~~, what its main goal is,~~ and ~~what it takes to build one~~.		In this article, I will be going over the functions of each spacecraft and notable examples.

	__NOTOC__		__NOTOC__

Michel Lamontagne at 15:33, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T15:33:23Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:33, 2 September 2021
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	Created by Anuj Krovvidi		Created by Anuj Krovvidi

			[[Category:Astronautics]]

Michel Lamontagne at 15:01, 30 November 2020

2020-11-30T15:01:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:01, 30 November 2020
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	~~Abstract:~~		The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now: Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft Communications Spacecraft.
	The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now.
	Flyby Spacecraft
	Orbiter Spacecraft
	Atmospheric Spacecraft
	Lander Spacecraft
	Penetrator Spacecraft
	Rover Spacecraft
	Observatory Spacecraft
	Communications Spacecraft
	In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.		In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.

	__NOTOC__		__NOTOC__
	== Flyby Spacecraft ==		==Flyby Spacecraft==
	Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.		Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.

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	Some notable examples of Flyby Spacecraft are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions which flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Other examples include the Pioneer and Mariner series of spacecraft.		Some notable examples of Flyby Spacecraft are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions which flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Other examples include the Pioneer and Mariner series of spacecraft.

	== Orbiter Spacecraft ==		==Orbiter Spacecraft==
	The Orbiter spacecraft although very like its brother the Flyby it does have many key differences. One main difference is that the Orbiter Spacecraft unlike the Flyby’s main goal is to orbit and observe one planet whereas the Flyby has the ability to observe many. However, the Orbiter spacecraft has the ability to conduct more in-depth scientific experiments with the advantage of being closer to the planet and in orbit, therefore, being able to observe the planet and its movements for a longer period of time. According to NASA, you can think of the Orbiter as a phase two to the Flyby with the initial reconnaissance followed up by in-depth study and research.		The Orbiter spacecraft although very like its brother the Flyby it does have many key differences. One main difference is that the Orbiter Spacecraft unlike the Flyby’s main goal is to orbit and observe one planet whereas the Flyby has the ability to observe many. However, the Orbiter spacecraft has the ability to conduct more in-depth scientific experiments with the advantage of being closer to the planet and in orbit, therefore, being able to observe the planet and its movements for a longer period of time. According to NASA, you can think of the Orbiter as a phase two to the Flyby with the initial reconnaissance followed up by in-depth study and research.

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	Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the [[Mariner 9]] spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.		Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the [[Mariner 9]] spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

	== Atmospheric Spacecraft ==		==Atmospheric Spacecraft==
	Atmospheric Spacecraft is a very interesting brand of Spacecraft. Rather than having its own propulsion systems onboard, Atmospheric Spacecraft piggyback another spacecraft (usually an orbiter or flyby) to its destination. Atmospheric Spacecraft as the name implies its main objective is to observe and record data on a specific celestial body. The spacecraft then detaches itself and plunges into the atmosphere and collects key data such as atmospheric composition, barometric pressure, and many more interesting data points.		Atmospheric Spacecraft is a very interesting brand of Spacecraft. Rather than having its own propulsion systems onboard, Atmospheric Spacecraft piggyback another spacecraft (usually an orbiter or flyby) to its destination. Atmospheric Spacecraft as the name implies its main objective is to observe and record data on a specific celestial body. The spacecraft then detaches itself and plunges into the atmosphere and collects key data such as atmospheric composition, barometric pressure, and many more interesting data points.

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	A notable example of an Atmospheric Spacecraft is the Huygens Probe to Titan.		A notable example of an Atmospheric Spacecraft is the Huygens Probe to Titan.

	== Robotic Spacecraft ==		==Robotic Spacecraft==
	The Robotic Spacecraft sector is one of the more well known. This includes Rover Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, and Penetrator Spacecraft.		The Robotic Spacecraft sector is one of the more well known. This includes Rover Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, and Penetrator Spacecraft.

	=== Rover Spacecraft ===		===Rover Spacecraft===
	We will start with the most known one which is the Rover Spacecraft. The Rover Spacecraft are spacecraft designed to move and operate on the surface of another celestial body. Rover Spacecraft are generally jam-packed with scientific instruments but scientists like to take advantage of being on the planet rather than orbiting and usually pack it with more rock observing and geology type-of experiments rather than atmospheric experiments which they could achieve with an atmospheric Spacecraft like the Huygens.		We will start with the most known one which is the Rover Spacecraft. The Rover Spacecraft are spacecraft designed to move and operate on the surface of another celestial body. Rover Spacecraft are generally jam-packed with scientific instruments but scientists like to take advantage of being on the planet rather than orbiting and usually pack it with more rock observing and geology type-of experiments rather than atmospheric experiments which they could achieve with an atmospheric Spacecraft like the Huygens.

	Some very notable examples of rover Spacecraft are the Mars Perseverance Rover as well as some other mars rovers such as the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers.		Some very notable examples of rover Spacecraft are the Mars Perseverance Rover as well as some other mars rovers such as the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers.

	=== Lander Spacecraft ===		===Lander Spacecraft===
	The second branch of Robotic Spacecraft is the Lander Spacecraft. Similar to the Rover Spacecraft these spacecraft land on the surface but do not move but simply sit in one place and record data that is transmitted back to an Earth Ground Station.		The second branch of Robotic Spacecraft is the Lander Spacecraft. Similar to the Rover Spacecraft these spacecraft land on the surface but do not move but simply sit in one place and record data that is transmitted back to an Earth Ground Station.

	Some notable examples of a Lander Spacecraft are that of the Viking Missions to Mars.		Some notable examples of a Lander Spacecraft are that of the Viking Missions to Mars.

	=== Penetrator Spacecraft ===		===Penetrator Spacecraft===
	The third is the Penetrator Spacecraft. This type of Spacecraft is relatively uncommon and has more recently been replaced with Impactor Probes. The Penetrator Spacecraft are spacecraft that’s main job is to dig under the surface of a celestial body and record data from underground.		The third is the Penetrator Spacecraft. This type of Spacecraft is relatively uncommon and has more recently been replaced with Impactor Probes. The Penetrator Spacecraft are spacecraft that’s main job is to dig under the surface of a celestial body and record data from underground.

Michel Lamontagne at 14:59, 30 November 2020

2020-11-30T14:59:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:59, 30 November 2020
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	Communications Spacecraft		Communications Spacecraft
	In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.		In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.
			__NOTOC__
	== Flyby Spacecraft ==		== Flyby Spacecraft ==
	Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.		Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.

Michel Lamontagne: Added titles

2020-11-30T14:58:38Z

Added titles

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:58, 30 November 2020
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	In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.		In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.

	Flyby Spacecraft:		== Flyby Spacecraft ==
	Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.		Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.

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	Some notable examples of Flyby Spacecraft are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions which flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Other examples include the Pioneer and Mariner series of spacecraft.		Some notable examples of Flyby Spacecraft are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions which flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Other examples include the Pioneer and Mariner series of spacecraft.

	Orbiter Spacecraft:		== Orbiter Spacecraft ==
	The Orbiter spacecraft although very like its brother the Flyby it does have many key differences. One main difference is that the Orbiter Spacecraft unlike the Flyby’s main goal is to orbit and observe one planet whereas the Flyby has the ability to observe many. However, the Orbiter spacecraft has the ability to conduct more in-depth scientific experiments with the advantage of being closer to the planet and in orbit, therefore, being able to observe the planet and its movements for a longer period of time. According to NASA, you can think of the Orbiter as a phase two to the Flyby with the initial reconnaissance followed up by in-depth study and research.		The Orbiter spacecraft although very like its brother the Flyby it does have many key differences. One main difference is that the Orbiter Spacecraft unlike the Flyby’s main goal is to orbit and observe one planet whereas the Flyby has the ability to observe many. However, the Orbiter spacecraft has the ability to conduct more in-depth scientific experiments with the advantage of being closer to the planet and in orbit, therefore, being able to observe the planet and its movements for a longer period of time. According to NASA, you can think of the Orbiter as a phase two to the Flyby with the initial reconnaissance followed up by in-depth study and research.

	Scientists’ main concerns when designing and building an orbiter spacecraft are the concerns of Earth and Sun occultations. A Sun Occultation is when the planet gets in front of the spacecraft’s view of the Sun thus not providing it with the energy to fuel its solar panels. An Earth Occultation is similar but this time it is the planet blocking Earth from view therefore forcing the spacecraft to be unable to transmit data until Earth is in view.		Scientists’ main concerns when designing and building an orbiter spacecraft are the concerns of Earth and Sun occultations. A Sun Occultation is when the planet gets in front of the spacecraft’s view of the Sun thus not providing it with the energy to fuel its solar panels. An Earth Occultation is similar but this time it is the planet blocking Earth from view therefore forcing the spacecraft to be unable to transmit data until Earth is in view.
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	Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the [[Mariner 9]] spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.		Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the [[Mariner 9]] spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

	Atmospheric Spacecraft:		== Atmospheric Spacecraft ==
	Atmospheric Spacecraft is a very interesting brand of Spacecraft. Rather than having its own propulsion systems onboard, Atmospheric Spacecraft piggyback another spacecraft (usually an orbiter or flyby) to its destination. Atmospheric Spacecraft as the name implies its main objective is to observe and record data on a specific celestial body. The spacecraft then detaches itself and plunges into the atmosphere and collects key data such as atmospheric composition, barometric pressure, and many more interesting data points.		Atmospheric Spacecraft is a very interesting brand of Spacecraft. Rather than having its own propulsion systems onboard, Atmospheric Spacecraft piggyback another spacecraft (usually an orbiter or flyby) to its destination. Atmospheric Spacecraft as the name implies its main objective is to observe and record data on a specific celestial body. The spacecraft then detaches itself and plunges into the atmosphere and collects key data such as atmospheric composition, barometric pressure, and many more interesting data points.

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	A notable example of an Atmospheric Spacecraft is the Huygens Probe to Titan.		A notable example of an Atmospheric Spacecraft is the Huygens Probe to Titan.

	Robotic Spacecraft:		== Robotic Spacecraft ==
	The Robotic Spacecraft sector is one of the more well known. This includes Rover Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, and Penetrator Spacecraft.		The Robotic Spacecraft sector is one of the more well known. This includes Rover Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, and Penetrator Spacecraft.

			=== Rover Spacecraft ===
	We will start with the most known one which is the Rover Spacecraft. The Rover Spacecraft are spacecraft designed to move and operate on the surface of another celestial body. Rover Spacecraft are generally jam-packed with scientific instruments but scientists like to take advantage of being on the planet rather than orbiting and usually pack it with more rock observing and geology type-of experiments rather than atmospheric experiments which they could achieve with an atmospheric Spacecraft like the Huygens.		We will start with the most known one which is the Rover Spacecraft. The Rover Spacecraft are spacecraft designed to move and operate on the surface of another celestial body. Rover Spacecraft are generally jam-packed with scientific instruments but scientists like to take advantage of being on the planet rather than orbiting and usually pack it with more rock observing and geology type-of experiments rather than atmospheric experiments which they could achieve with an atmospheric Spacecraft like the Huygens.

	Some very notable examples of rover Spacecraft are the Mars Perseverance Rover as well as some other mars rovers such as the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers.		Some very notable examples of rover Spacecraft are the Mars Perseverance Rover as well as some other mars rovers such as the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers.

			=== Lander Spacecraft ===
	The second branch of Robotic Spacecraft is the Lander Spacecraft. Similar to the Rover Spacecraft these spacecraft land on the surface but do not move but simply sit in one place and record data that is transmitted back to an Earth Ground Station.		The second branch of Robotic Spacecraft is the Lander Spacecraft. Similar to the Rover Spacecraft these spacecraft land on the surface but do not move but simply sit in one place and record data that is transmitted back to an Earth Ground Station.

	Some notable examples of a Lander Spacecraft are that of the Viking Missions to Mars.		Some notable examples of a Lander Spacecraft are that of the Viking Missions to Mars.

			=== Penetrator Spacecraft ===
	The third is the Penetrator Spacecraft. This type of Spacecraft is relatively uncommon and has more recently been replaced with Impactor Probes. The Penetrator Spacecraft are spacecraft that’s main job is to dig under the surface of a celestial body and record data from underground.		The third is the Penetrator Spacecraft. This type of Spacecraft is relatively uncommon and has more recently been replaced with Impactor Probes. The Penetrator Spacecraft are spacecraft that’s main job is to dig under the surface of a celestial body and record data from underground.

Anuj Krovvidi: Added link for Mariner 9

2020-11-30T02:44:18Z

Added link for Mariner 9

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:44, 30 November 2020
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	Scientists’ main concerns when designing and building an orbiter spacecraft are the concerns of Earth and Sun occultations. A Sun Occultation is when the planet gets in front of the spacecraft’s view of the Sun thus not providing it with the energy to fuel its solar panels. An Earth Occultation is similar but this time it is the planet blocking Earth from view therefore forcing the spacecraft to be unable to transmit data until Earth is in view.		Scientists’ main concerns when designing and building an orbiter spacecraft are the concerns of Earth and Sun occultations. A Sun Occultation is when the planet gets in front of the spacecraft’s view of the Sun thus not providing it with the energy to fuel its solar panels. An Earth Occultation is similar but this time it is the planet blocking Earth from view therefore forcing the spacecraft to be unable to transmit data until Earth is in view.

	Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the Mariner 9 spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.		Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the [[Mariner 9]] spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

	Atmospheric Spacecraft:		Atmospheric Spacecraft:

Anuj Krovvidi: Created page with "Abstract: The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classific..."

2020-11-28T22:54:48Z

Created page with "Abstract: The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classific..."

New page

Abstract:
The sky is scattered with many different types of spacecraft. Although so many, we can easily differentiate Spacecraft from one another by using Spacecraft Classification. These are the main types of Spacecraft in the sky right now.
Flyby Spacecraft
Orbiter Spacecraft
Atmospheric Spacecraft
Lander Spacecraft
Penetrator Spacecraft
Rover Spacecraft
Observatory Spacecraft
Communications Spacecraft
In this article, I will be going over the pros and cons of each spacecraft, what its main goal is, and what it takes to build one.

Flyby Spacecraft:
Flyby spacecraft are spacecraft that are designed to “flyby” a planet and take observations. Flyby spacecraft are not to be confused with Orbiter Spacecrafts because the primary goal of a Flyby spacecraft is to observe and record without being captured by the planet’s gravity. The spacecraft’s orbit will be designed to pass close by planets but never orbit one instead of following a continuous orbit around the sun.

These types of Spacecraft have to be able to record science and data as their objects pass by. Flyby spacecraft must also be able to transmit and store data and science as well as survive very long periods in harsh conditions in the journey between planets.

Some notable examples of Flyby Spacecraft are the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions which flew past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Other examples include the Pioneer and Mariner series of spacecraft.

Orbiter Spacecraft:
The Orbiter spacecraft although very like its brother the Flyby it does have many key differences. One main difference is that the Orbiter Spacecraft unlike the Flyby’s main goal is to orbit and observe one planet whereas the Flyby has the ability to observe many. However, the Orbiter spacecraft has the ability to conduct more in-depth scientific experiments with the advantage of being closer to the planet and in orbit, therefore, being able to observe the planet and its movements for a longer period of time. According to NASA, you can think of the Orbiter as a phase two to the Flyby with the initial reconnaissance followed up by in-depth study and research.

Scientists’ main concerns when designing and building an orbiter spacecraft are the concerns of Earth and Sun occultations. A Sun Occultation is when the planet gets in front of the spacecraft’s view of the Sun thus not providing it with the energy to fuel its solar panels. An Earth Occultation is similar but this time it is the planet blocking Earth from view therefore forcing the spacecraft to be unable to transmit data until Earth is in view.

Some notable examples of an orbiter spacecraft are the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn, the Mariner 9 spacecraft to Mars, and the Magellan spacecraft to Venus.

Atmospheric Spacecraft:
Atmospheric Spacecraft is a very interesting brand of Spacecraft. Rather than having its own propulsion systems onboard, Atmospheric Spacecraft piggyback another spacecraft (usually an orbiter or flyby) to its destination. Atmospheric Spacecraft as the name implies its main objective is to observe and record data on a specific celestial body. The spacecraft then detaches itself and plunges into the atmosphere and collects key data such as atmospheric composition, barometric pressure, and many more interesting data points.

Since the Atmospheric Spacecraft does not require any specific propulsion systems Scientists take the opportunity to pack it with other scientific instruments. Of course, the spacecraft requires a battery to operate and telecommunications to communicate back to Earth or the ship it was detached from but otherwise, some examples of instruments would be a barometer, some sort of Mass Spectrometer, and other experiments relating to the celestial body it is studying.

A notable example of an Atmospheric Spacecraft is the Huygens Probe to Titan.

Robotic Spacecraft:
The Robotic Spacecraft sector is one of the more well known. This includes Rover Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, and Penetrator Spacecraft.

We will start with the most known one which is the Rover Spacecraft. The Rover Spacecraft are spacecraft designed to move and operate on the surface of another celestial body. Rover Spacecraft are generally jam-packed with scientific instruments but scientists like to take advantage of being on the planet rather than orbiting and usually pack it with more rock observing and geology type-of experiments rather than atmospheric experiments which they could achieve with an atmospheric Spacecraft like the Huygens.

Some very notable examples of rover Spacecraft are the Mars Perseverance Rover as well as some other mars rovers such as the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers.

The second branch of Robotic Spacecraft is the Lander Spacecraft. Similar to the Rover Spacecraft these spacecraft land on the surface but do not move but simply sit in one place and record data that is transmitted back to an Earth Ground Station.

Some notable examples of a Lander Spacecraft are that of the Viking Missions to Mars.

The third is the Penetrator Spacecraft. This type of Spacecraft is relatively uncommon and has more recently been replaced with Impactor Probes. The Penetrator Spacecraft are spacecraft that’s main job is to dig under the surface of a celestial body and record data from underground.

Most Impactor Probes are prototypes so there are not many examples of this spacecraft.

Created by Anuj Krovvidi