Mission Area
Civil Space Flight
From the Sun to Pluto and Beyond
Johns Hopkins APL’s Civil Space Flight Mission Area delivers critical spaceflight hardware to NASA, international partners, and other U.S. government civilian agencies. We are responsible for all APL civil space flight programs in development and operations and are APL’s primary civil space sponsor interface. We pride ourselves on delivering first-of-their-kind, one-of-a-kind spaceflight hardware within cost and schedule constraints.
Since the dawn of the Space Age, APL has pushed the frontiers of space science. We captured the first picture of Earth from space, invented navigation by satellite, dispatched spacecraft across the solar system that are exploring regions around our Sun to Pluto and beyond, and successfully conducted the world’s first planetary defense test mission.
Our work includes design, fabrication, and operation of premier space science instruments, novel space systems, and advanced space technology.
Leadership
Highlights
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Learn more about DragonflyDragonfly
Dragonfly is a NASA New Frontiers mission that will send a rotorcraft lander to explore the prebiotic chemistry and habitability of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.
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Learn more about IMAPIMAP
Set to launch in 2025, NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission will help researchers better understand what happens at the boundary of the heliosphere, where the Sun’s protective magnetic field ends.
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Learn more about EZIEEZIE
EZIE will determine the structure and evolution of Earth’s electrojets — electric currents flowing in Earth’s ionosphere that are central to the electrical circuit that couples the planet’s magnetosphere to its atmosphere.
Recent News
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![Artist’s impression of Dragonfly soaring over the dunes of Saturn’s moon Titan.]()
Learn more about Dragonfly Mission Confirmed for 2028 Launch to Saturn’s Moon TitanPress Release
Apr 17, 2024Dragonfly Mission Confirmed for 2028 Launch to Saturn’s Moon Titan
NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan has been confirmed, enabling the mission to progress through its final design and eventual construction and testing. The game-changing mission, equipped with a mobile eight-rotored lander that will fly autonomously, will advance our understanding of the chemical origins of life and explore dozens of locations on Titan. -
![Larry Paxton]()
Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL Space Scientist Paxton Wins International Distinguished Service AwardNews
Mar 28, 2024Johns Hopkins APL Space Scientist Paxton Wins International Distinguished Service Award
Larry Paxton, a space scientist at APL, has earned a 2024 International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Distinguished Service Award. -
![Ella Dobson, shortly after arriving at APL in 1960]()
Learn more about Remembering Trailblazing Johns Hopkins APL Mathematician Ella DobsonNews
Mar 26, 2024Remembering Trailblazing Johns Hopkins APL Mathematician Ella Dobson
Ella Dobson, whose pioneering work in ocean remote sensing at APL spanned 36 years, left a profound impact on science, embodying the spirit of both Black History Month and Women’s History Month. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations in the STEM fields.
