The Space Missions That Took Off, Touched Down in 2021
Share:
Welcome to Thomas Insights — every day, we publish the latest news and analysis to keep our readers up to date on what’s happening in industry. Sign up here to get the day’s top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
2021 was a big year for the space and aeronautics industry, with at least nine different space missions launching or having a successful outcome. Here’s a recap of each mission and their ongoing progress.
United Arab Emirates Space Agency Hope Orbiter
The “Hope Probe” finally entered Mars’ orbit in 2021 and aims to collect data to form the first complete picture of the red planet’s atmosphere. In February 2021, the spacecraft relayed back its first few images of the Martian surface. Viewers can observe various landforms, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, and Valles Marineris, the planet’s canyon system.
China’s Tianwen-1
The Tianwen-1 is a spacecraft that has an orbiter, lander, and rover designed for a multi-part mission to Mars. Originally, Tianwen-1 spent the first few months orbiting the red planet after its arrival in February 2021, before finally making landfall during the summer.
Tianwen-1 continues to send images and videos of the planet’s surface, including a recent selfie of the spacecraft.
NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover
After a 203-day journey, NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on the red planet in February 2021. The 2,263-pound robotic astrobiologist and geologist is collecting samples of rock and sediment to help scientists investigate the planet’s geology and climate, in addition to searching for evidence of ancient microbial life.
In the rover was Ingenuity, a rotorcraft, which was released for a series of test flights during a short window. The Mars Helicopter has reached significant milestones since its debut, reaching great altitudes and holding flights for set durations despite the planet’s thinner atmosphere.
Boeing Starliner’s Second Orbital Flight Test
While this second attempt to launch the Starliner was originally scheduled to take place in late 2021, the project is now delayed until May 2022. If successful, the Starliner will be able to deliver supplies and NASA cargo to the International Space Station, in addition to collecting data for improving Boeing’s crew transportation system.
China’s First Space Station Module
China successfully launched its first space station module, the Tianhe module, in preparation for the current International Space Station to retire within the next decade. The country hopes to have the module fully operational for its Tiangong space station by the end of 2022.
Russia’s Luna-25 Mission
The Luna-25 mission, Russia’s first mission to the moon’s surface, was originally scheduled to launch in October 2021 but was postponed due to problems found during testing. However, after a series of successful trials and recalibrations, the spacecraft is now prepared to launch in Summer 2022. Upon landing, Luna-25 will collect data from the moon’s surface and exospheric dust and particles.
James Webb Space Telescope Launch
The much-delayed James Webb Space Telescope is the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope and was designed to capture extremely clear, high-resolution images of galaxies that emit infrared light, in addition to capturing data on planetary systems in the universe.
Currently, the telescope is observing interstellar objects passing through the solar system following its success in identifying segment images.
NASA’s Artemis-I Mission
Previously known as NASA’s Exploration Mission-1, the Artemis I mission was originally delayed from late 2021 until February. However, a recent press conference at NASA confirms that after working through a series of closeout tasks and integrated testing, the spacecraft will be undergoing a “wet dress rehearsal” at the Kennedy Space Station before a final launch date is revealed.
Image Credit: Alones / Shutterstock.com
