JPL's 1936-2028 milestones and mission plans

Between a 1936-10-31 milestone and 2028 launch plans, Jet Propulsion Laboratory recorded firsts in satellite, lunar and planetary missions. Explorer 1 launched in 1958, and Ranger 7 became the first U.S. mission to the Moon in 1964. The laboratory is managed by Caltech for NASA, and Dave Gallagher has been JPL director since 2025.

A JPL milestone is dated 1936-10-31. The laboratory is managed by Caltech for NASA, was a contractor for the U.S. Army, joined NASA, and Dave Gallagher has been JPL director since 2025.

Explorer 1 launched in 1958. It was America's first satellite, the first spacecraft to conduct science, and it discovered protective radiation belts.

Ranger 7 launched in 1964 and was the first U.S. mission to the Moon. JPL's other firsts include a planetary flyby, Mars rovers that rolled on the surface, and a rotorcraft that flew there.

AVIRIS, developed at JPL's Microdevices Laboratory, can detect rare Earth elements, and the Microdevices Laboratory invented a camera on a chip. JPL manages the asteroid-hunting NEO Surveyor.

For readers tracking the lunar industry, JPL's Ranger 7 milestone and MoonFall development connect the laboratory to the Moon. MoonFall's landing site is the lunar south pole, and its payload is large propulsive drones.

SunRISE has a 2027 launch date and a payload of six toaster-oven-size satellites.

SkyFall has a 2028 launch date, is JPL-managed, and has a payload of three helicopters.

MoonFall is under development by JPL, with a lunar south pole landing site and large propulsive drones.