Isophoric News · Thursday, October 22, 2026
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory marks 90 years and lists missions ahead
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which traces its start to rocket-propulsion tests by Caltech graduate students in Pasadena's Arroyo Seco on Oct. 31, 1936, is turning 90 and lists new missions ahead, according to a JPL news release. JPL launched America's first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958 and sent the first U.S. mission to the Moon, Ranger 7, in 1964, the lab says. Among its upcoming missions, JPL lists SkyFall, aiming for a 2028 launch to deploy three helicopters over Mars, MoonFall, a 2028 mission to land large drones at the lunar South Pole, and SunRISE, set for a 2027 launch. JPL also notes that Voyager 1 is to reach a full light-day from Earth on Nov. 18.
