NASA SPACE APPS CHALLENGE
Exploring the spacecraft, rovers, instruments, and technology humans have left across the Moon, Mars, and deep space.
Explore the LegacyTHE MOON
Hardware left behind by missions that changed our understanding of Earth's nearest celestial neighbor.
Apollo Program
The lunar module carried astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back to lunar orbit.
Apollo 15 · 16 · 17
The battery-powered rover allowed astronauts to travel farther across the lunar surface and collect more samples.
MARS
Landers, rovers, and aircraft that explored the Red Planet and expanded our understanding of its history.
1975–1982
Viking 1 became the first U.S. spacecraft to successfully land and operate on the surface of Mars.
1975–1980
Viking 2 studied the Martian surface and atmosphere while searching for evidence of biological activity.
Mars Pathfinder · 1997
Sojourner became the first wheeled rover to successfully operate on another planet.
2003–2019
Opportunity searched for geological evidence that liquid water once existed on the Martian surface.
2004–2011
Spirit explored Gusev Crater and found geological evidence of ancient water on Mars.
2021–2024
Ingenuity demonstrated powered, controlled flight on another planet for the first time in history.
DEEP SPACE
Spacecraft that traveled beyond the inner planets and opened new chapters in our exploration of the outer Solar System.
1972–2003
Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to travel through the asteroid belt and make direct observations of Jupiter.
1973–1995
Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to make close observations of Saturn and its environment.
1977–Present
Voyager 1 explored Jupiter and Saturn before continuing into interstellar space.
1977–Present
Voyager 2 remains the only spacecraft to have visited all four giant planets of the outer Solar System.
2006–Present
New Horizons transformed our understanding of Pluto and continues exploring the distant Kuiper Belt.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Space exploration does not end when a mission stops operating. The spacecraft, rovers, landers, and instruments left behind continue to tell the story of human exploration.
Since the beginning of the Space Age, robotic spacecraft and human missions have explored worlds far beyond Earth. Some completed their missions and remain where they landed, while others continue traveling through space.
A spacecraft left on another world is not simply discarded equipment. It represents years of engineering, scientific discovery, exploration, and human curiosity.
Legacy of Space presents the stories behind selected NASA spacecraft and exploration hardware across the Moon, Mars, and deep space in a format designed to be accessible to students and young space enthusiasts.
Our goal is to make space history easier to explore. Every mission provides a connection between science, engineering, technology, and the people who continue pushing the boundaries of exploration.
"Every piece of hardware has a story. Every mission leaves a legacy."
RESEARCH & SOURCES
Legacy of Space is based on information from NASA and other authoritative scientific resources.
Official NASA information about missions, spacecraft, science, and exploration.
Scientific information about the Moon, Mars, planets, spacecraft, and NASA missions.
Mission information and exploration resources covering the Solar System.
Official information about Mars missions, rovers, landers, helicopters, and discoveries.
This website was created for the NASA Space Apps Challenge as an educational project. NASA is not responsible for the creation or content of this website.
CONTACT & CONNECT
Stay connected with the Legacy of Space project and follow our journey through space exploration.
Legacy of Space is an educational project created to tell the stories of spacecraft, rovers, landers, and instruments that shaped humanity's exploration of space.