I WONDER - What Is A Space Probe?

Space probes are unmanned robotic spacecraft that explore the solar system, sending data and images back to Earth. Initially launched by the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1960s to study the moon, Venus, and Mars, these probes have since been used to explore outer planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Notable missions include the Cassini probe, which orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, discovering new moons, studying the planet's rings, and landing a probe on Titan.

What is the primary purpose of space probes?

• To mine asteroids for resources

• To transport astronauts to other planets

• To explore the solar system and send data back to Earth

• To build space stations on other planets

Which countries were the first to send space probes in the 1960s?

• Soviet Union and United States

• Germany and Japan

• United Kingdom and France

• China and India

What celestial bodies were the initial targets of space probes in the 1960s?

• Pluto and Mercury

• Jupiter and Saturn

• Moon, Venus, and Mars

• Uranus and Neptune

Which space probe orbited Saturn and made significant discoveries?

• Voyager 1

• Pioneer 10

• Galileo

• Cassini

What notable achievement did the Cassini probe accomplish on Titan?

• It landed a probe on Titan

• It captured the first images of Titan's surface

• It found evidence of life

• It discovered a new planet