NASA Home Sitemap Dictionary FAQ
+
+
+
Solar System Exploration Missions
Solar System Exploration Home
News and Events
Planets
Missions
Science and Technology
Multimedia
People
Kids
Education
History
  
  
Missions to Our Solar System
Past Missions to Our Solar System Present Missions to Our Solar System Future Missions to Our Solar System Concept Missions to Our Solar System
ISEE-3/ICE
ISEE-3/ICE Mission to About Our Solar System ISEE-3/ICE Mission to Comets
ISEE-3/ICE:
International Sun-Earth Explorer 3's was part of a trio of spacecraft sent into space to study interplanetary space. It was the first spacecraft orbit at a libration point and also the first to detect the solar wind approaching Earth.

It was later renamed International Cometary Explorer and sent to study comet Giacbini-Zinner and comet Halley. When last contacted, the spacecraft was on a trajectory that will bring it close to Earth in August 2014. It could possibly be recaptured, returned to Earth and ultimately be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

Visit the ISEE-3/ICE Website

   
Key Dates Links
12 Aug 1978: 
Launch (15:12 UT)
1981: 
End of Solar System Mission
22 Dec 1983: 
Entered Heliocentric Orbit
11 Sep 1985: 
Traversed Plasma Tail of Comet Giacobini-Zinner
Status: 
Mission Complete
Explore more of NASA on the Web:
FirstGov - Your First Click to the U.S. Government
+
+
+
+
+
NASA Home Page
+