Space Exploration Highlights 2024 58171n Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More

From lunar missions to Mars discoveries and Europa exploration, 2024 was pivotal for space exploration. 5ql4u

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 10 December 2024 20:00 IST

Space Exploration Highlights 2024: Lunar Missions, Mars Discoveries, and More

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech 105o2e

NASA's Europa Clipper, launched in October, will study Jupiter's moon Europa for signs of life.

Highlights

Japan’s SLIM lunar mission set new exploration milestones.
NASA's Perseverance rover uncovered key Mars discoveries.
Europa Clipper launched to explore potential life on Jupiter's moon.

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Significant advancements in space exploration were made throughout 2024, with missions targeting the Mercury, and beyond. Government agencies, private companies, and scientists achieved remarkable milestones, pushing the boundaries of discovery in our solar system.

New Missions to the Moon 551p18

Multiple lunar missions added to humanity's knowledge of spacecraft completed a six-day mission near the lunar south pole despite landing off-balance.

China's Chang'e 6 mission, launched by the China National Space istration (CNSA), brought back soil samples from the moon's far side in June, marking the first collection of its kind. Early analyses suggested the region was volcanically active approximately 2.8 billion years ago.

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Discoveries on Mars 6p5r1z

NASA's Perseverance rover uncovered evidence of possible ancient microbial life in July, finding a rock with intriguing chemical signatures. The discovery added to the significance of Mars Sample Return, a NASA project facing budgetary uncertainties. Meanwhile, the Ingenuity helicopter, which had operated on Mars since 2021, retired in January after completing 72 flights.

Private Spaceflight Milestones 1ct1u

Commercial space ventures saw highs and lows. SpaceX conducted its Polaris Dawn mission in September, including the first civilian spacewalk. Astronaut Sarah Gillis played the violin aboard the spacecraft, a unique first. Conversely, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft faced technical issues that delayed the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.

Exploring Mercury and Europa 6m4w5q

BepiColombo, a t mission by the European Space Agency and JAXA, captured unprecedented images of Mercury's south pole during a flyby in September. Meanwhile, NASA's Europa Clipper launched in October to investigate Jupiter's moon Europa, known for its subsurface ocean. The spacecraft will arrive in 2030 and conduct nearly 50 flybys to determine the moon's potential to life.

Europe’s Vega-C Rocket Makes a Successful Return with Sentinel-1C Launch

As these missions demonstrate, 2024 marked a pivotal year in exploring the solar system, expanding understanding through persistent innovation and collaboration.

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