Exploring the Earth, Solar System and Beyond
Larry James, Deputy Director March 2017 The Quest From Caltech students testing rockets to exploring the planets in our lifetime
Caltech students (1936) Missiles (1940s) Explorer 1 (1958)
Mars Exploration Rovers Spitzer Space Telescope Earth Science (2004 – present) (2004 – present) (1978 – now) JPL’s Tour of the Solar System Dawn at Ceres Ceres Discovery of Interesting Features
Occator Crater Yalode Crater Ahuna Crater Ceres Mountain Ahuna Mons
7 Juno Orbit Insertion July 4, 2016 Juno Mission Trailer
9 Galileo’s Sketch of Jupiter’s Moons January 13, 1610
10 Juno’s View of Jupiter’s Moons July 5, 2016
11 Saturn’s Rings
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A New Moon is Discovered Final Orbits Science: Unique Observations
• First ever direct measurements of ring particle composition
• Highest resolution main ring observations – Radio occultation, imaging – First active Radar
• Highest resolution Saturn polar observations and aurora
• Direct sampling of Saturn’s atmosphere – Final five periapses Ride Along with Cassini Final E Ticket through the Rings Saturn’s Moons
17 Curiosity’s Selfie
18 Curiosity Exploration of Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater
“Green-grey Mars”
Clay material: formed in neutral pH water Detection of key elements needed for life
Mars was habitable!!!
19 Strata at Base of Mt Sharp Indicates the flow of water before the mountain formed
20 Curiosity Near Large Sand Dunes
21 Seasonal Flows in Mars’ Valles Marineris Curiosity rover is exploring Gale Crater to understand the habitability of Mars, its potential for preserving organic materials, and the major environmental transitions in its early history Mars Science Laboratory: Mission to Mount Sharp
jpl.nasa.gov
Sulfate Unit (8 km)
Clay Unit (6 km) Mount Sharp Hematite Ridge (5 km)
Gale Crater Murray Formation (arrived Sept. 2014) Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2
24 OCO-2 Follows Carbon Dioxide Through the Atmosphere JPL Science and Exploration Thrusts
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Formation of and life in Life outside our solar Journey to Mars our solar system system and how the Our home planet Universe formed
26 InSight 2018 Launch Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport
27 Mars 2020 Payload
28 Europa: Gem of the Jupiter System Europa Clipper & Lander 2022 & 2024 Launches
Big Bang! Psyche: Journey to a Metal World 2023 Launch GRACE Follow-On Launch: August 2017 Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Surface Water Ocean Topography 2020 Launch NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar 2020 Launch
34 Dare Mighty Things