Space agencies worldwide are planning ambitious space exploration missions as technology advances and human curiosity about the cosmos grows. These include new and exciting missions that range from exploring our own solar system to venturing out to the farthest reaches of the universe. In this article, ten exciting future space missions are discussed that will take humans closer to the stars. They include the Artemis Program, James Webb Space Telescope, Mars Sample Return Mission, New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission, Interstellar Probe, Europa Clipper Mission, Breakthrough Starshot, LUVOIR Mission, Deep Space Gateway/Lunar Gateway, and WFIRST Mission. These missions will unravel the mysteries of the cosmos and drive our imaginations for generations to come.
10 Future Space Missions that will Take Humans Closer to the Stars
As technology advances and our curiosity about the cosmos grows, space agencies from around the world are planning ambitious missions to explore the wonders of space. These missions range from exploring our own solar system to venturing out to the farthest reaches of the universe. In this article, we will explore ten of the most exciting future space missions that will take humans closer to the stars.
1. Artemis Program
The Artemis program is a NASA-led initiative to land humans on the Moon by 2024. Unlike previous missions, Artemis aims to establish a sustainable human presence on our nearest neighbor, with a focus on scientific research and exploration. Through the Artemis program, NASA hopes to learn more about the Moon’s origins, resources, and potential for further space exploration. The program also aims to serve as a stepping stone to sending humans to Mars in the future.
2. James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and is set to launch in 2021. The JWST is designed to be the largest, most powerful space telescope ever created and will be able to observe some of the earliest galaxies in the universe. It will also be able to study the atmospheres of exoplanets to determine if they could support life.
3. Mars Sample Return Mission
NASA, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), is planning a mission to bring samples back from Mars by the early 2030s. The mission will involve a rover collecting samples of Martian soil and rock, which will then be stored in a small rocket that will launch into orbit around Mars. Another spacecraft will then rendezvous with the first spacecraft in Martian orbit, collect the samples, and bring them back to Earth for analysis. This mission will provide scientists with a wealth of new information about the Red Planet’s geology, chemistry, and history.
4. New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft made history in 2015 when it flew past Pluto and its moons. Now, the spacecraft is on an extended mission to explore the icy objects in the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system beyond Neptune’s orbit. The spacecraft’s next target is a small, icy object called 2014 MU69, which it will fly by in January 2019. This mission will provide scientists with new insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system.
5. Interstellar Probe
As its name suggests, the Interstellar Probe is a mission to explore the space between stars. The probe, which could launch as early as the 2030s, will be equipped with sensors to detect particles, magnetic fields and other phenomena in the interstellar medium. The mission aims to gain a better understanding of how our solar system interacts with the surrounding interstellar environment, and how life could survive in such extreme conditions.
6. Europa Clipper Mission
Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, has long been a target for astrobiologists searching for signs of life beyond Earth. The Europa Clipper Mission, set to launch in the early 2020s, aims to study the icy moon’s potential habitability by conducting multiple flybys. The mission will investigate the moon’s subsurface ocean, which is theorized to harbor more than twice the volume of Earth’s oceans. The Europa Clipper will also map the moon’s surface and study its geology and composition.
7. Breakthrough Starshot
The Breakthrough Starshot initiative aims to launch a fleet of tiny spacecraft to explore the Alpha Centauri system, our nearest neighbor star system. The spacecraft, each weighing just a few grams, would be propelled by an array of lasers to reach speeds of up to 20% the speed of light. At this speed, they could make the journey to Alpha Centauri in just 20 years, providing a first glimpse of another star system up close.
8. LUVOIR Mission
The Large UV/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) is a proposed mission by NASA to build a large space telescope capable of studying a broad range of scientific questions. The mission is still in its early stages of development, but the proposed design includes a telescope with a mirror up to 16 meters in diameter, which would make it one of the largest space telescopes ever built. The LUVOIR mission would focus on exoplanet research, but would also be capable of studying the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets.
9. Deep Space Gateway / Lunar Gateway
The Deep Space Gateway, also known as the Lunar Gateway, is a proposed space station that will orbit the moon. The station would serve as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars and beyond, and would provide astronauts with a base for scientific research and exploration. The station could also be used for testing new technologies and techniques for future space missions. NASA plans to begin work on the Deep Space Gateway in the early 2020s, with the goal of completing it by the mid-2020s.
10. WFIRST Mission
The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a proposed space telescope designed to study dark energy, the mysterious force that is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. The mission would also investigate exoplanets and provide a broad range of astronomical data. The proposed telescope would have a mirror up to 2.4 meters in diameter and would be equipped with the most advanced infrared detectors ever developed. NASA plans to launch the WFIRST mission in the mid-2020s.
Conclusion
The future of space exploration is incredibly exciting, with ambitious missions planned to explore the furthest reaches of our solar system and beyond. The ten missions discussed in this article represent just a small sample of the many exciting projects that will take humans closer to the stars. Whether exploring new worlds, discovering the origins of the universe, or searching for signs of life beyond Earth, these missions will help us unravel the mysteries of the cosmos and fuel our imaginations for generations to come.