2009 in Spaceflight - Deep Space Rendezvous

Deep Space Rendezvous

Date Spacecraft Event Remarks
7 February Cassini 50th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 960 kilometres (600 mi)
12 February Okina Lunar impact Farside of the Moon
17 February Dawn Flyby of Mars Gravity assist, closest approach 549 kilometres (341 mi) at 00:28 GMT
1 March Chang'e 1 Lunar impact Deorbited at 07:36 and impacted at 08:13
27 March Cassini 51st flyby of Titan Closest approach: 960 kilometres (600 mi)
4 April Cassini 52nd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 4,150 kilometres (2,580 mi)
20 April Cassini 53rd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 3,600 kilometres (2,200 mi)
5 May Cassini 54th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 3,244 kilometres (2,016 mi)
21 May Cassini 55th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 965 kilometres (600 mi)
6 June Cassini 56th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 965 kilometres (600 mi)
10 June Kaguya Lunar Impact at 18:25 UTC, around Gill crater.
22 June Cassini 57th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 955 kilometres (593 mi)
23 June LRO Selenocentric orbit insertion Orbital insersion burn lasted from 09:47 to 10:26 UTC
23 June LCROSS/Centaur Lunar flyby Gravity assist to align for impact in October, closest approach: 3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) at 10:30:33 UTC
8 July Cassini 58th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 965 kilometres (600 mi)
24 July Cassini 59th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 955 kilometres (593 mi)
9 August Cassini 60th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 970 kilometres (600 mi)
25 August Cassini 61st flyby of Titan Closest approach: 970 kilometres (600 mi)
17 September Artemis P1 Lunar flyby Closest approach: 43,875 kilometres (27,263 mi) at 00:49 UTC
30 September MESSENGER 3rd flyby of Mercury Gravity assist, closest approach: 229 kilometres (142 mi)
9 October AV-020 Centaur Lunar impact 2,000-kilogram (4,400 lb) upper stage of the Atlas V rocket used to launch LRO and LCROSS. Impacted Cabeus crater at Lunar South Pole. Impact occurred at 11:31 UTC, and was observed by LCROSS.
LCROSS (S-S/C) Lunar impact 700-kilogram (1,500 lb) shepherding spacecraft. Detached from Centaur at 01:50 UTC, and impacted same crater at 11:37.
12 October Cassini 62nd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 1,300 kilometres (810 mi)
2 November Cassini 7th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 103 kilometres (64 mi)
13 November Rosetta 3rd flyby of Earth Gravity assist
21 November Cassini 8th flyby of Enceladus Closest approach: 1,607 kilometres (999 mi)
8 December Artemis P1 Lunar flyby Closest approach: 16,101 kilometres (10,005 mi) at 01:25 UTC
12 December Cassini 63rd flyby of Titan Closest approach: 4,850 kilometres (3,010 mi)
28 December Cassini 64th flyby of Titan Closest approach: 955 kilometres (593 mi)
Distant, non-targeted flybys of Dione, Mimas, Rhea, Tethys and Titan by Cassini occurred throughout the year.

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