A space mission is a plan for space exploration that includes one rocket (and sometimes more rockets, but with strong connections one to another). A space mission can be part of a space program.
History[]
Basically, every manned or unmanned spaceship is a space mission. If Apollo is a space program, the individual launches (for example Apollo 11) are missions.
Structure[]
A space mission usually requires a single rocket launch. However, there are some cases when a single launch deploys multiple probes (for example an orbiter and a lander; the orbiter and lander will soon separate to do its job). A good example is Cassini–Huygens.
In Spaceflight Simulator, there are missions that require a helping rocket to push the main rocket or to refuel.
Goals[]
The goals of a mission can be the achievements of the game or can include additional goals, such as docking a rocket to a space station, going to the moon, travelling to other planets and exploring the moons of Mars and Jupiter. You can also do a mission similar to the Voyager probes, but it requires waiting for planets to align for gravity assists and good timing and positioning.
Examples[]
- Launching a probe in space
- Sending satellites into orbit
- Landing on a celestial body
- Sending an atmospheric probe
- Studying a celestial body; it can be a simple flyby or landing and getting some samples in it
- Building a large rocket/space station