How many spacecraft have been to Saturn?
As of January 2022, four spacecraft have flown by, or around, Saturn.
In 1979, Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to fly by and study Saturn up close.
Voyager 1 flew by in 1980 and Voyager 2 in 1981. These spacecraft studied many of the moons of Saturn as well.
In July 2004, the Cassini spacecraft reached Saturn. It continued to send back observations of the planet, its moons, and ring system, until it was sent in a controlled plunge intoSaturn’s atmosphere on Sept. 15, 2017, returning science data to the very end.
For more information see NASA's Solar System Exploration webpages for:
