In 2024, the realm of space exploration captivated global interest.
NASA’s Europa Clipper commenced its mission to investigate Jupiter’s moon, Europa. SpaceX’s Starship marked a crucial milestone by achieving its first successful touchdown, setting the stage for forthcoming deep space endeavors. China’s Chang’e 6 mission garnered attention by successfully returning samples from the Moon’s far side. In the meantime, the International Space Station continued to facilitate international crews, including private ventures like Axiom Mission 3.
As an aerospace engineer, I am thrilled about 2025, as space agencies around the globe prepare for increasingly bold ambitions. Below is an overview of the most thrilling missions set for the forthcoming year, aimed at broadening humanity’s reach even further, spanning from the Moon and Mars to asteroids and beyond:
Exploring the lunar terrain with CLPS
NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, often referred to as CLPS, seeks to transport science and technology payloads to the Moon utilizing commercial landers. CLPS was responsible for delivering Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander to the Moon in February 2024, marking the first U.S. lunar landing since Apollo.
In 2025, NASA has a series of CLPS missions on the agenda, featuring contributions from companies like Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, and Firefly Aerospace.
These missions are set to carry a diverse array of scientific tools and technological experiments to various lunar sites. The payloads will encompass studies examining lunar geology, testing innovative technologies for future human expeditions, and collecting data on the Moon’s atmospheric conditions.
These scientific investigations will encompass studies in microgravity, which refers to the nearly weightless condition of outer space. Researchers will examine how plants develop, how materials react, and how biological functions occur absent the impact of gravity.
Furthermore, Space Rider will showcase new technologies intended for forthcoming missions. It will, for instance, assess sophisticated telecommunications systems, which are vital for sustaining communication with spacecraft over extensive distances. It will also evaluate new robotic exploration tools for potential future missions to the Moon or Mars.
By scrutinizing the materials of the comet, scientists aspire to gain insights into the conditions that prevailed in the early solar system and potentially the origins of water and organic compounds on Earth.
Solar system flybys
In addition to the aforementioned planned launch missions, various space agencies are gearing up to conduct thrilling deep-space flyby missions in 2025.
A flyby, or gravity assist, occurs when a spacecraft makes a close pass to a planet or moon, utilizing its gravitational pull for a speed enhancement. As the spacecraft nears, it is drawn in by the planet’s gravity, facilitating its acceleration.
Subsequent to passing around the planet, the spacecraft is slung back into the cosmos, allowing it to shift direction and proceed on its intended trajectory using less fuel.
BepiColombo, a collaborative mission between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, is set to conduct its sixth flyby of Mercury in January 2025. This maneuver will assist the spacecraft in achieving orbit around Mercury by November 2026. BepiColombo is focused on examining Mercury’s composition, atmosphere, and surface geology.
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which was launched in October 2024, will make noteworthy progress on its journey to Jupiter’s moon Europa. In March 2025, the spacecraft is scheduled to execute a flyby maneuver at Mars.
This maneuver will facilitate the spacecraft in obtaining the necessary speed and trajectory for its lengthy expedition. Later, in December 2026, Europa Clipper will conduct a flyby of Earth, employing Earth’s gravity to further increase its momentum, enabling it to reach Europa in April 2030.
ESA’s Hera mission is also expected to execute a flyby of Mars in March 2025. Hera forms part of the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission, which aims to analyze the Didymos binary asteroid system. The mission will yield valuable data on asteroid deflection methods and contribute to planetary defense strategies.
NASA’s Lucy mission will persist in its exploration of the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, which share Jupiter’s orbit around the Sun, throughout 2025. A significant event for Lucy includes its flyby of the inner main-belt asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson, planned for April 20, 2025.
This flyby will provide crucial data regarding this ancient asteroid’s composition and surface characteristics, which may aid researchers in understanding the early solar system. The asteroid is named in honor of the paleoanthropologist who discovered the renowned “Lucy” fossil.
ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, commonly referred to as JUICE, will conduct a Venus flyby in August 2025. This maneuver will aid JUICE in gaining the requisite speed and trajectory for its voyage to Jupiter. Upon arrival, JUICE will investigate Jupiter’s icy moons to comprehend their potential for sustaining life.
The year 2025 is poised to be a transformative period for space exploration. With NASA’s ambitious initiatives and significant contributions from other nations, we are on track to achieve remarkable advancements in humanity’s comprehension of the universe. These missions will not only elevate scientific understanding but also motivate future generations to gaze towards the cosmos.