A reusable rocket is an interesting concept, but it quickly loses its novelty. If the payload is not unique and interesting, it becomes boring entirely. For example, space stations cannot have articles written on every single component as there is not much to talk about. That is why we decided to do a new mission that would require a new rocket. We called this rocket Zeus, as this is the Greek equivalent of the deity known as Jupiter. Its mission was to launch a small probe to any moon of Jupiter, or possibly just Jupiter orbit.
We launched the vehicle into orbit, and then did a transfer to Jupiter. We were able to get an encounter with Ganymede without having to adjust our orbit once captured around Jupiter. Then we got into orbit around Ganymede, lowered our orbit, and landed on a particularly hilly area. We did much science with the probe’s equipment, then ascended back up and got into an orbit. This was all done by a computer program as distance would prohibit maneuvering in real time from Mission Control. Not only that, but the mission actually began a year ago.
See that dot too small to show up on your screen? That’s the probe
The probe after landing
The probe once in orbit, there was a heat shield as this is a multi-use probe and one experiment could be aerobraking through Jupiter
A photo of Jupiter, could’ve been better if we went to another planet, but this is for researching Ganymede, not just Jupiter