Mission

In space and astronautical engineering, a mission refers to a specific objective or goal that is planned and executed by a spacecraft or a group of spacecraft. A mission can be designed for various purposes such as scientific research, technology demonstration, exploration, or commercial activities. A typical mission involves several phases including planning, launch, cruise, operations, and termination. The planning phase includes defining the mission objectives, selecting the spacecraft and instruments, designing the trajectory, and assessing the risks. The launch phase involves preparing the spacecraft for launch, integrating it with the launch vehicle, and performing the launch operations. The cruise phase involves navigating the spacecraft to the target destination, performing scientific observations or experiments, and communicating with the ground. The operations phase involves maintaining the spacecraft health, executing the mission plan, and analyzing the data. The termination phase involves ending the mission operations, disposing of the spacecraft, and archiving the data.