2025: The Year of Bold New Frontiers in Space Exploration

Zhenbo Wang is an associate professor specializing in mechanical, aerospace, and biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee.

In 2024, space exploration captivated global attention.

NASA’s Europa Clipper commenced its voyage to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa. SpaceX’s Starship accomplished its first successful touchdown, marking a significant milestone for upcoming deep-space endeavors. China garnered attention with the Chang’e 6 mission, which successfully retrieved samples from the far side of the Moon. Concurrently, the International Space Station continued to accommodate diverse international crews, including private missions like Axiom Mission 3.

As an aerospace engineer, I am thrilled about 2025, when space organizations globally are preparing for even more ambitious objectives. Let’s explore the most exhilarating missions set for the upcoming year that will broaden humanity’s scope even further, from the Moon and Mars to asteroids and beyond:

Scouting the lunar terrain with CLPS

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, initiative is designed to transport scientific and technological payloads to the Moon via commercial landers. CLPS facilitated the arrival of Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander to the Moon in February 2024, which was the first U.S. lunar landing since the Apollo missions.

In 2025, NASA has various CLPS missions on the agenda, including deliveries by firms such as Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, and Firefly Aerospace.

These missions will transport a range of scientific tools and technological showcases to diverse lunar sites. The payloads will consist of experiments focused on lunar geology, evaluating new technologies for future human exploration, and gathering information about the Moon’s environment.

Examining the cosmos with SPHEREx

In February 2025, NASA intends to launch the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, or SPHEREx, observatory. This mission will analyze the sky using near-infrared light, which is a type of light that cannot be seen with the naked eye but can be detected by specialized instruments. Near-infrared light is advantageous for observing objects that are either too cool or too far away to be viewed in visible light.

SPHEREx will produce a detailed map of the universe by surveying and gathering information on more than 450 million galaxies, as well as over 100 million stars within the Milky Way. Astronomers will utilize this data to address significant inquiries regarding the origins of galaxies and the distribution of water and organic compounds in stellar nurseries – the regions where stars form from gas and dust.

Investigating low Earth orbit with Space Rider

The European Space Agency, or ESA, intends to conduct an orbital test flight of its Space Rider uncrewed spaceplane in the third quarter of 2025. Space Rider is a reusable vehicle fashioned to execute a variety of scientific experiments in low Earth orbit.

These scientific endeavors will encompass research within microgravity, which refers to the near-weightless state found in space. Scientists will examine plant growth, material behaviors, and biological processes free from gravitational impact.

Space Rider will also validate new technologies intended for forthcoming missions. For instance, it will trial advanced telecommunications systems, essential for sustaining communication with spacecraft over long ranges. Additionally, it will evaluate new robotic exploration instruments for potential use in future missions to the Moon or Mars.

Investigating the Moon with M2/Resilience

Japan’s M2/Resilience mission, anticipated for January 2025, will deploy a lander and micro-rover to the lunar surface.

This mission aims to investigate the lunar regolith to comprehend its composition and characteristics. Researchers will also carry out a water-splitting experiment to generate oxygen and hydrogen by retrieving water from the lunar soil, heating it, and separating the resultant steam. The produced water, oxygen, and hydrogen could facilitate long-term lunar exploration.

This mission will additionally showcase new technologies, such as sophisticated navigation systems for accurate landings and automated operational systems for the rover. These advancements are crucial for future lunar exploration and could be adapted for missions to Mars and farther.

The M2/Resilience campaign is part of Japan’s broader ambitions to assist in international lunar exploration. It builds on the achievements of Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, mission, which successfully landed on the Moon employing a precise landing technique in March 2024.

Exploring an asteroid with Tianwen-2

China’s Tianwen-2 mission represents a bold effort to return samples from an asteroid and probe a comet. Scheduled for launch in May 2025, Tianwen-2 seeks to gather samples from a near-Earth asteroid while studying a comet. This endeavor strives to enhance scientific understanding of the solar system’s genesis and development, building on the triumphs of China’s earlier lunar and Mars missions.

The mission’s primary target is the near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa. This space rock is classified as a quasi-satellite of Earth, suggesting it orbits the Sun while remaining in close proximity to our planet. Kamoʻoalewa measures approximately 131-328 feet (40-100 meters) in diameter and may be a fragment of the Moon, expelled into space by a historic impact event.

By analyzing this asteroid, researchers aim to uncover details about the early solar system and the mechanisms that shaped its evolution. The spacecraft will employ both touch-and-go and tether-and-attach methods to procure samples from the asteroid’s surface.

After collecting samples from Kamoʻoalewa, Tianwen-2 will return them to Earth before proceeding toward its second target, the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS. This comet resides within the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter.

By examining the materials from the comet, scientists hope to gain insights into the conditions present during the early solar system phase and potentially the origins of water and organic materials on Earth.

Solar system flybys

In addition to the aforementioned planned launch missions, numerous space agencies have plans for thrilling deep-space flyby missions in 2025.

A flyby, or gravity assist, occurs when a spacecraft approaches sufficiently close to a planet or moon that it can utilize its gravitational pull for an acceleration boost. As the craft nears, it is drawn in by the planet’s gravity, which aids in its speed enhancement.

After navigating around the planet, the craft is propelled back into space, allowing it to redirect its course and continue onward using less fuel.

BepiColombo, a collaborative mission by ESAand the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, is set for its sixth flyby of Mercury in January 2025. This operation will assist the spacecraft in achieving orbit around Mercury by November 2026. BepiColombo plans to examine Mercury’s makeup, atmosphere, and surface geology.

NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which was launched in October 2024, will make noteworthy advancements on its route to Jupiter’s moon Europa. In March 2025, the spacecraft will execute a flyby maneuver at Mars.

This operation will enable the spacecraft to acquire the required speed and path for its extensive journey. Subsequently, in December 2026, Europa Clipper will conduct a flyby of Earth, utilizing Earth’s gravity to further augment its momentum so it can reach Europa in April 2030.

The ESA’s Hera mission will also carry out a flyby of Mars in March 2025. Hera is part of the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission, which intends to investigate the Didymos binary asteroid system. The mission will supply essential data on asteroid deflection methodologies and contribute to planetary defense initiatives.

NASA’s Lucy mission will persist in its exploration of the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, which share Jupiter’s orbit around the Sun, in 2025. A significant event for Lucy is its flyby of the inner main-belt asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson, slated for April 20, 2025.

This flyby will yield valuable information about the composition and surface characteristics of this ancient asteroid, which can assist researchers in understanding the early solar system. The asteroid is named after the paleoanthropologist who discovered the renowned “Lucy” fossil.

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, mission is set to conduct a flyby of Venus in August 2025. This maneuver will help JUICE attain the necessary speed and trajectory for its expedition to Jupiter. Upon arrival, JUICE will investigate Jupiter’s icy moons to ascertain their potential for supporting life.

2025 is anticipated to be a revolutionary year for space exploration. With NASA’s ambitious endeavors and significant contributions from various countries, we are poised to make considerable advancements in humanity’s comprehension of the universe. These missions will not only propel scientific understanding but also motivate future generations to gaze toward the stars.

This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.