Aryabhata honors an Indian astronomer

The new orbit enabled prolonged planetary study, although a global dust storm initially limited surface views.

Mariner 9 showed how staying in orbit could reveal much more than a single passing encounter.

Designed and built in India, the country’s first satellite was launched on a Soviet rocket.

Aryabhata began a new phase in India’s scientific and engineering space work.

The launch from Kapustin Yar illustrates international cooperation in the early Indian space program.

Despite its number, Voyager 2 departed before Voyager 1, beginning its journey to the outer planets.

Voyager 2 took a path that would later permit encounters with Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

The spacecraft carried cameras and instruments to study planets, moons and their environments.

The probe’s record carried images and sounds selected to represent life and culture on Earth.

The second Voyager launch used a trajectory that overtook Voyager 2 on the way to Jupiter.