Exciting space missions to look out for in 2024
This year saw several remarkable space missions. India scripted history with Chandrayaan-3 by landing near the Moon's south pole for the first time, while NASA returned a sample from a 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid. We believe 2024 could be another momentous year for space exploration. Numerous missions will focus on the Moon, including a few backed by NASA while there are others targeted at Jupiter and Mars. Let's have a look.
NASA, ISRO to launch joint Earth-observing mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA are readying a joint mission called NISAR. It's touted to be the world's most expensive imaging satellite, estimated to cost around $1.5 billion. NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) can cover Earth almost completely, at least once every 12 days, providing in-depth details into the "dynamics of forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands." The mission will be sent to low Earth orbit (LEO) aboard ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-2 rocket in early 2024.
Japan could make its first-ever Moon landing in January
Next year will see the launch of a couple of lunar missions. On January 20, Japan could make its first-ever soft landing on Moon with its SLIM mission. SLIM is aiming for an "unprecedentedly high precision landing." It's designed to touch down within 100m of its target landing site, which is a small crater named Shioli in the lunar equatorial region. If successful, Japan will be the fifth to land on the Moon, after the US, China, Russia, and India.
First commercial robotic launch to the Moon's surface
Astrobotic and United Launch Alliance (ULA) are planning the "first commercial robotic launch" to the Moon's surface on January 8. This is part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic plans to land the nearly 6.5-foot tall Peregrine lunar lander on the Moon's surface on February 23. The lander will be carrying 20 commercial and government payloads. The upcoming launch will also mark the inaugural flight of ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket.
Artemis 2: First crewed lunar mission in 50+ years
Next, we have NASA's Artemis 2, the first crewed mission to the Moon in over 50 years, since the last Apollo program in 1972. Artemis 2 will transport four astronauts on a 10-day trip around the Moon before returning to Earth. The mission will not land on the Moon. Currently, the launch is slated for November 2024, but it could be delayed until 2025 if essential equipment, such as spacesuits and oxygen gear, is not ready.
VIPER and Lunar Trailblazer will explore the Moon
NASA recently initiated small, low-cost planetary missions called SIMPLEx. Such missions aim to cut costs by launching alongside other missions, as a rideshare payload. One example under this program is VIPER, which will examine the Moon's south pole for water and other volatile substances. Concurrently, the Lunar Trailblazer will orbit the Moon and map water molecule locations on its surface. Both missions aim to supply resources for future human exploration of the Moon. VIPER will launch in November 2024.
Exploring the Red Planet: Martian Moon eXploration and Mangalyaan-2
Scientists intend to explore our neighboring planet Mars as well. JAXA's Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) mission will study Mars's moons Phobos and Deimos to determine their origins. The spacecraft will spend three years observing the moons and will also land on Phobos's surface before returning to Earth. It will launch around September 2024. ISRO is also building its second mission to the Red Planet, dubbed Mangalyaan-2. If all goes well, it could launch next year.
Europa Clipper to investigate habitability on Juipter's moon Europa
NASA's Europa Clipper mission is set to explore one of Jupiter's largest moons called Europa. This Jovian moon is thought to contain a large saltwater ocean beneath its icy surface, which could hold over twice as much water as all of Earth's oceans combined. Researchers hope to discover if Europa's ocean could support extraterrestrial life. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in October 2024 and reach the Jupiter system in 2030.
ESA Hera mission
Additionally, the European Space Agency (ESA) is gearing up for a planetary defense mission, called Hera, which will examine the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system. Before this, NASA sent its DART mission, to test a planetary defense technique, to the same asteroid, Dimorphos. That test involved colliding the DART spacecraft with Dimorphos and it successfully altered the asteroid's orbit. Hera is designed to measure the outcome of that DART mission in "great detail." The launch is scheduled for October 2024.
