Timeline of Solar System exploration

• All spacecraft that have left Earth orbit for the purposes of Solar System exploration, including lunar probes.
• A small number of pioneering or notable Earth-orbiting craft.

• Centuries of terrestrial telescopic observation.
• The great majority of Earth-orbiting satellites.
• Space probes leaving Earth orbit that are not concerned with Solar System exploration.
• Probes that failed at launch.

1950s

Mission name	Launch date	Description
1960s Image:Luna-9-1.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Luna 9 – First successful lunar lander Image:Ap8-S68-56310.jpg|right|thumb|Apollo 8 – First crewed lunar orbiter Mission name Launch date Description 1970s Mission name Launch date Description 1980s Mission name Launch date Description 1990s Image:Pathfinder01.jpg|240px|right|thumb|Mars Pathfinder – Mars lander and the first successful Mars rover, Sojourner Mission name Launch date Description 2000s Image:Mars-express-volcanoes-sm.jpg|220px|right|thumb|Mars Express/Beagle 2 – First planetary mission by the ESA Image:Messenger.jpg|220px|right|thumb|MESSENGER – First Mercury orbiter Mission name Launch date Description 2010s Mission name Launch date Description 2020s Mission name Launch date Description Solar Orbiter 10 February 2020 Sun-observing satellite