Astrobotic Technology launched its uncrewed Peregrine Mission One to the moon on January 8, funded by NASA. The Peregrine lander was aboard the Centaur Vulcan rocket before launch. Unfortunately, the mission encountered a propellant leak shortly after launch, halting its journey to the moon. Astrobotic shared a snapshot of the Peregrine lander in space. On January 18, the Peregrine lunar lander from Astrobotic burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, with one of its final photos showing the crescent Earth during re-entry.
On the same day, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter experienced a blade loss, leading to the end of its mission. Ingenuity was the first mission to achieve successful flight on another planet, completing 72 flights. A photo capturing the shadow of its damaged rotor blade was among its final images.
In more positive news, Intuitive Machines launched its NASA-funded IM-1 mission to the moon the following month. The Odysseus moon lander sent back its initial images of Earth from space. On February 22, the Odysseus spacecraft from Intuitive Machines became the first private craft to softly land on the moon, marking the U.S.’s return to the lunar surface after over 50 years. The mission aims to land a second spacecraft on the moon in January 2025.
Additionally, lunar landings were not the only significant events of the year. A total solar eclipse occurred on April 8, visible in the U.S. The International Space Station captured images of the eclipse from space as the moon cast its shadow over Earth. In June, Boeing successfully launched two astronauts to the International Space Station aboard its Starliner spacecraft for the first time. However, the astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, have remained on the ISS due to engine issues with the Starliner.
In July, NASA’s first year-long simulated Mars mission, CHAPEA-1, concluded. The four crew members were released after spending 378 days together in a 1,700 sq. ft. habitat.
The missions are aimed at studying the physical and mental impacts on humans during long-duration space travels. The CHAPEA-2 mission is set to commence in the spring of 2025. The crew of CHAPEA recently celebrated Ross Brockwell’s birthday inside the habitat.
Following careful considerations, NASA and Boeing decided to return the uncrewed Starliner spacecraft back to Earth without Williams and Wilmore. The Starliner spacecraft, developed by Boeing, was seen departing from the International Space Station on September 6.
Four days later, on September 10, SpaceX launched the highly anticipated crewed mission, Polaris Dawn. The crew of Polaris Dawn consisted of Anna Menon, Scott Poteet, Jared Isaacman, and Sarah Gillis. This mission took four commercial astronauts 870 miles into space, surpassing the distance traveled by humans since NASA’s Apollo missions. The crew shared a selfie taken using Starlink from their spaceship.
The Polaris Dawn mission achieved a historic milestone by conducting the first-ever commercial spacewalk. Jared Isaacman, the mission leader, described the space environment as hostile and unfriendly during the spacewalk training. He emphasized the importance of recognizing symptoms of decompression complications that may arise during spacewalks.
After a successful return to Earth, NASA looked forward to the return of its OSIRIS-REx mission. The return capsule containing a sample from an asteroid landed in Utah on September 24 and was promptly transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas. This event marked the first time an asteroid sample was collected and brought back to Earth for analysis.
Analysis of the asteroid sample revealed the presence of carbon and nitrogen, essential building blocks of life. This discovery may provide insights into the origins of life on Earth. In a separate achievement, NASA’s Perseverance rover identified potential evidence of past life on Mars through the discovery of unique rock features.
Despite the groundbreaking discoveries made by the Perseverance rover, NASA’s Sample Return Mission to confirm these findings has been postponed due to cost and time constraints. The rover’s findings include organic compounds, evidence of past water flow, and structures resembling microbial life patterns.
The month of October began with SpaceX demonstrating its innovative “chopsticks” catch on October 13, showcasing the company’s technological prowess.
In an impressive display of skill and precision, SpaceX attempted to catch a Super Heavy booster in mid-air during Starship’s 5th test flight. The daring maneuver showcased the innovation and technological prowess of the aerospace company led by Elon Musk.
Following this exciting event, NASA made headlines with the launch of its Europa Clipper spacecraft, embarking on a 1.8 billion-mile trajectory towards Jupiter. Scheduled to reach the gas giant in April 2030, the 6,000-pound spacecraft is a testament to NASA’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
Inside NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Europa Clipper spacecraft underwent rigorous testing in a thermal vacuum chamber designed to simulate the harsh conditions of outer space. This preparation is crucial to ensure the success of the mission and the spacecraft’s ability to withstand the challenges of deep space travel.
The Europa Clipper mission represents NASA’s ongoing exploration of Jupiter following the conclusion of the Juno mission in September 2025. With Juno capturing stunning images of Jupiter during its flybys, the baton is now passed to the Europa Clipper to continue unraveling the mysteries of the gas giant.
Meanwhile, NASA’s Perseverance rover completed a remarkable 3.5-month journey scaling the side of Jezero Crater, ascending 1,640 vertical feet. The rover’s perseverance paid off as it snapped a striking photo of the crater’s rim, marking a significant achievement in its mission to explore the Martian terrain.
As the year drew to a close, NASA set another milestone on December 24 with its Parker Solar Probe making history by flying closer to the sun than any spacecraft before. The daring mission of the Parker Solar Probe aims to unlock the secrets of the sun’s corona and provide valuable insights into our solar system’s most prominent star.
With each mission and achievement, SpaceX and NASA continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, inspiring future generations and expanding humanity’s understanding of the universe. As we look forward to what the future holds, the spirit of innovation and exploration remains at the forefront of these pioneering endeavors.
