T-Minus: Countdown to the 10 best space stories of 2024
By Kristin Houser | Published: 2025-01-04 16:00:00 | Source: The Present – Big Think
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This is T-Minus, where Freethink tallies the biggest developments in the space. In the latter part of 2024, Kristin Houser takes a look at the 10 greatest space stories of that year. From a first-of-its-kind spacewalk to recovering a rocket that could one day take humans to Mars, here’s what I found.
Safe landing on the moon
In 1966, the Soviet Union became the first country to achieve a “soft” landing on the moon, meaning the spacecraft would not be destroyed on impact. On January 19, 2024, Japan became the fifth country in history to do the same, performing a soft landing. Lunar Exploration Intelligent Lander (SLIM). On the moon. The landing wasn’t perfect, as SLIM hit the moon upside down, but the position was the most precise in history, with the spacecraft touching down 180 feet from its target.
The final journey of creativity
In 2021, NASA Creative helicopter It made history as the first spacecraft to fly on another planet. The original plan was to fly no more than five times over the next 30 days, but by the time the little helicopter reached its limit, The mission is finally over On January 18, 2024, it flew 72 timesrepeatedly setting new records for altitude, speed and distance and predicting a future in which the eyes of the sky will join our landers and spacecraft.
Return of the Space Factory
Varda Space Industries, based in California, plans to manufacture products in orbit, particularly specialized materials that could benefit from being manufactured in free fall, without the pressure of Earth’s gravity. In June 2023, it launched a test mission with the first of these “space factories,” and after a long delay, the spacecraft finally returned to Earth on February 21, 2024, with a spacecraft. Successfully compounded drugs On board – which may signal the beginning of a new era of off-world manufacturing.
Polaris Dawn spacewalk
In 2021, it was led by billionaire businessman and experienced pilot Jared Isaacman Inspiration4the first entirely civilian space mission. In September 2024, it returned to Earth’s orbit with another civilian crew in the spacecraft Polaris Dawn The mission, which saw all four crew members exit their SpaceX Dragon capsule to perform the first private spacewalk. Next for Isaacman? Potentially serve as The new head of NASA.
The first flight of Vulcan Centaur
In 2014, United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, began development on Vulcan Centaura new heavyweight rocket designed to succeed the Atlas V launch system. After several delays, the rocket finally lifted off for the first time on January 8, 2024. A successful second flight followed in October, and the rocket is now certified to begin flying. National security missions For the US Space Force in 2025.
Landing intuitive machines on the moon
The Vulcan Centaur’s primary payload on its first launch was Astronomical techniques The Peregrine lunar lander, which was expected to be the first spacecraft built by a private company to reach the Moon. Unfortunately, its propulsion system failed shortly after publication. But less than a month later, another private company, Intuitive Machines, deployed its own lunar lander, Odysseus, via a SpaceX rocket. A terrible descentthis an act Reach the surface of the moon – to earn a place in commercial space history.
Europa Clipper launch
Scientists suspect that Jupiter’s moon Europa contains liquid water, organic compounds and an energy source, the three ingredients needed for life as we know it. This makes the small moon one of the most interesting places in our solar system, and on October 14, 2024, NASA launched Europe Clippera mission to study the icy moon up close. In 2030, after traveling 1.8 billion miles to reach its destination, the spacecraft will make 49 flybys of Europa to help us determine whether life could exist beyond our home planet.
Chang’e 6 round-trip mission to the Moon
In 2019, China became the first country to soft-land on the far side of the Moon (the side permanently facing away from Earth). It repeated the feat with the Chang’e 6 lander on June 1, 2024, but this time, equipping the spacecraft with a module that could launch samples of distant lunar regolith to a lunar orbiter. Then a return vehicle attached to the orbiter brought the samples back to Earth, giving us our information First look In the composition “The Dark Side” of the Moon.
Starliner’s turbulent journey to the International Space Station
In 2014, NASA issued $1 billion in contracts to Boeing and SpaceX to build capsules that can transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX delivered with Dragon in 2020, but it wasn’t until June 5, 2024, that Boeing was finally ready for the first crewed flight of its Starliner capsule.
The vehicle an act It reached the International Space Station the next day, but encountered problems with its propulsion and helium systems along the way. After extensive delays and attempts at troubleshooting, NASA eventually decided it was too dangerous for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams to use the Starliner capsule on their return trip to Earth, so instead of spending a week on the ISS, they will remain there until February 2025 — and then Home delivery with SpaceX.
SpaceX’s Amazing ‘Mechazilla’ Recovery
After more than a decade of development, SpaceX will finally launch its massive Starship rocket for the first (and second) time in 2023. Both flights ended with the rocket exploding due to problems triggering its autonomous flight termination system — but it an act She reached space on her second flight, and came in first place Last year’s list of the biggest stories in space.
This year, SpaceX flew the Starship four more times, and during each flight, it was able to test new systems and capabilities. The most notable of these tests took place on October 13, when SpaceX flew to the spacecraft for the fifth time and then used the mechanical arms on its giant launch tower called “Micazilla” to catch its Falcon Heavy booster after it returned to Earth.
The first-of-its-kind rocket recovery video is a must-see for anyone with even a remote interest in space, and its success has put SpaceX one step closer to not only using Starship for crewed missions to Mars, but also doing so at a much lower cost than would be possible with an expendable rocket system.
this condition Originally published by our sister site Freethink.
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