From a record-breaking 26 Falcon 9 launches and the triumph of its first crewed missions to the ISS, to groundbreaking Starship prototype tests, SpaceX achieved extraordinary milestones in 2020, captivating space enthusiasts worldwide. Falcon 9: The Reliable Workhorse Despite pandemic challenges slo

2021 promises an exhilarating lineup of space milestones, from Mars and lunar missions to the James Webb Space Telescope deployment, Starship prototypes, and SLS rocket tests. Heres a curated overview of key events drawing from decades of established space agency expertise. Three Ambitious Mars Miss

NASA and the European Space Agencys joint Mars Sample Return mission will bring back rocks collected on Mars in the early 2030s to hunt for signs of ancient life. Heres how NASA guaranteed these samples arrive uncontaminated. The Perseverance rover, launched July 30, 2020, as part of the Mars 2020 m

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) first stage, powering humanitys return to the Moon, has successfully completed its seventh and penultimate test. Upper stage testing is slated for the coming months to prepare for the November 2021 launch. The SLS, NASAs super-heavy lift vehicle developed since 2011,

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of continuous human presence on the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts have remained remarkably active this year. Orbiting more than 400 km above Earth, theyve conducted a wide array of microgravity experiments, generating critical data to advance our

Chinese astronomers have identified more than 109,000 previously unknown craters in the Moons low- and mid-latitude regions using artificial intelligence trained on data from Chinese lunar orbiters. Lunar impact craters, created by meteor strikes, serve as fossils preserving the solar systems histor

A team from the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) has identified 591 new hypervelocity stars. Led by Dr. Li Yinbi, their peer-reviewed study appears in the December 17 issue of The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.While most stars in the Milky Way orbit the galactic center a

NASA aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024 through its Artemis program, but experts view this deadline as overly ambitious. With President-elect Joe Biden taking office, the timeline may extend by a year or two, allowing more realistic progress. In 2017, the Trump administration directed NASA to

SpaceX aims to start initial tests of Super Heavy boosters as early as 2021. These massive structures will ultimately launch Starship vehicles into space from Earth—but how will they be recovered?Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX is driven by the goal of making humanity interplanetary. The compan

NASAs Perseverance rover could provide key evidence of extraterrestrial life. To fulfill its mission, it must traverse vast terrain autonomously at times. Heres how engineers drive it on Mars.In less than two months, NASAs Perseverance rover will touch down in Jezero Crater on Mars. Its mission: ana

Puerto Ricos outgoing Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced has endorsed rebuilding the collapsed Arecibo radio telescope, signing an ordinance on December 28 to allocate $8 million. Yet, experts note that a final decision could take years and cost hundreds of millions more. The iconic Arecibo Observatory,

Alcohol holds a cherished place in human culture worldwide, but strict rules on the International Space Station (ISS) prohibit it entirely—or so the policy states. In practice, some astronauts have creatively skirted these bans, as reported by space experts and publications like Supercluster. A Toas

Chinas Tianwen-1 mission is set to enter Mars orbit on February 10, 2021, paving the way for a rover landing in May. If successful, China will join the U.S. as the only nations to achieve a soft landing on the Red Planet.Launched on July 28, 2020, by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), T

Two groundbreaking heliophysics missions, recently approved by NASA, will deepen our understanding of the dynamic interactions between Earth and the Sun—helping us better forecast space weather events that endanger our planet and technologies. By probing the physics behind solar wind, flares, and co

Chinas leading space contractor, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), plans more than 40 orbital launches in 2021. Key missions include the debut module of the nations new space station and crewed flights.In a detailed report on upcoming missions, CASC outlines its goal of

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released the latest data from its groundbreaking Gaia mission, providing precise positions, motions, and physical properties for nearly 1.8 billion stars across our Milky Way galaxy. Stellar movements at the galaxys edges even hint at its turbulent past. A Detaile

In recent months, astronomers worldwide puzzled over a small, enigmatic object on an unusually Earth-like trajectory. Experts ruled out a mini-asteroid or temporary moon, identifying it instead as human-made space debris. A Mysterious Object Sparks Scientific Debate Astronomers spotted the small bod

Space Perspective, a pioneering space tourism company developing balloon trips to the stratosphere, has raised $7 million (5.77 million euros) to advance its innovative project. The startup plans a first test flight next year. The space tourism industry has seen explosive growth in recent years. Whi

SpaceX launched its latest cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, deploying an upgraded Crew Dragon capsule. This marks the first time two SpaceX vessels have docked simultaneously at the ISS. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center at 5:17

On December 21, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn appeared closer together from Earth than at any time since the Middle Ages—a rare event that highlighted the solar systems largest planet. With telescopes trained on this spectacle, its an ideal moment to explore what Jupiter is truly made of. A Massive Gas G