The spacecraft is set to observe over 100 million stars within the Milky Way and collect data on more than 450 million other galaxies. Additionally, it will search for potential signs of life, such as water and organic molecules, in the Milky Way during its planned two-year mission. Scientists are hopeful that this expedition will provide valuable insights into the formation of galaxies and the origins of the universe.
After encountering technical difficulties in June, two NASA astronauts aboard a Boeing spacecraft have been stranded at the International Space Station. They are expected to return home in March after spending over nine months in space. The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were initially scheduled for a week-long stay at the space station but were left in orbit due to fuel leaks and thruster problems with the capsule.
India is making significant advancements in its human spaceflight program, with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) set to travel to the International Space Station on a commercial mission operated by Axiom Space. This mission is expected to include crew members from Poland and Hungary, with a duration of up to 14 days at the ISS. India is also working on launching its own crewed spacecraft for the first time in 2026.
In a notable development, California-based startup Vast is preparing to launch a commercial space station, Haven-1, into orbit this year. The station, which will accommodate up to four astronauts for missions lasting up to 30 days, is planned to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket no earlier than August. Vast aims to eventually connect Haven-1 to a larger module currently in development, with aspirations for crewed missions in the future.
China continues its ambitious space exploration efforts in 2025, with plans to launch a mission to collect samples from an asteroid. The spacecraft Tianwen-2 will rendezvous with the asteroid Kamo’oalewa, believed by some scientists to be a remnant of the moon ejected during an ancient impact. Following the collection of asteroid samples, a capsule will be released to return to Earth in 2026, after which Tianwen-2 will use Earth’s gravity to propel towards a comet named 311P/PANSTARRS. If successful, this asteroid sampling mission will mark a significant achievement for China’s space agency.
China has recently achieved significant milestones in space exploration. It has made history by being the first country to successfully collect and bring back samples from the far side of the moon. Additionally, China has successfully landed a rover on Mars and completed the construction of its very own Tiangong space station.
