Year-ahead in space expedition- Pivotal space missions set stage for cosmos exploration in 2024

Year-ahead in space expedition: Pivotal space missions set stage for cosmos exploration in 2024

The year 2023 marked a significant milestone in space exploration, witnessing the triumphant return of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission with an asteroid sample and India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission venturing into the uncharted lunar south pole. As the world anticipates what lies beyond, the upcoming year, 2024, promises yet another exhilarating chapter in space exploration.

NASA’s ambitious plans, including the Artemis program and the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, will spearhead multiple groundbreaking missions aimed at the Moon. Excitement peaks as the latter part of the year unfolds, promising an array of captivating launches.

Artemis II represents the initial crewed step, intending to carry four astronauts on a groundbreaking 10-day mission. This follows Artemis I, which successfully dispatched an unmanned capsule into lunar orbit by the end of 2022.

Scheduled for launch in November 2024, Artemis II plans to orbit the Moon before returning the astronauts home. However, the mission’s timing may shift to 2025, contingent upon the readiness of crucial gear like spacesuits and life support systems, emphasizing the priority for meticulous preparation and safety measures for this historic venture.

Exploring one of Jupiter’s moons

In October 2024, NASA is set to launch the Europa Clipper mission, dedicated to exploring Europa, one of Jupiter’s prominent moons. Smaller than Earth’s Moon, Europa boasts an icy surface concealing a suspected vast saltwater ocean — possibly holding twice the water of Earth’s oceans combined.

Scientists aim to assess the potential habitability of Europa’s ocean, seeking signs of extraterrestrial life. By conducting approximately 50 flybys, the Europa Clipper will scrutinize the moon’s icy surface, study its geological features, and delve into the subsurface ocean. Additionally, it aims to identify active geysers erupting from Europa’s surface.

This mission marks a significant leap in comprehending oceanic worlds like Europa. The launch window spans 21 days from October 10, 2024, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Upon its arrival at the Jupiter system in 2030, the spacecraft is poised to revolutionize our understanding of this captivating celestial body.

Japan’s trip to Moons of Mars

Amidst Earth’s planned lunar missions in 2024, attention shifts to Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, set to welcome a new visitor. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is diligently crafting a robotic mission named the Martian Moon eXploration (MMX), anticipated for launch around September 2024.

MMX’s primary scientific goal revolves around unraveling the origins of Mars’ moons. Scientists remain intrigued, pondering whether Phobos and Deimos were once asteroids captured by Mars’ gravitational pull or if they coalesced from pre-existing debris encircling the planet.

Over a three-year span orbiting Mars, the spacecraft aims to conduct extensive scientific investigations on Phobos and Deimos. Additionally, a pivotal phase involves a touchdown on Phobos’ surface, gathering precious samples before embarking on a return journey to Earth. The MMX mission holds the promise of unlocking critical insights into the intriguing and mysterious history of these Martian moons.

Search for water on the Moon

VIPER, short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, is a golf cart-sized robot primed for NASA’s lunar south pole exploration slated for late 2024. Initially set for a 2023 launch, NASA rescheduled VIPER’s mission to conduct comprehensive tests on the lander system developed by Astrobotic, a key contributor to the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

This robotic mission holds a specific mandate: to scout for volatiles, such as water and carbon dioxide, substances prone to vaporization at lunar temperatures. Unearthing these resources could profoundly benefit future human lunar expeditions.

Throughout its 100-day endeavor, VIPER will rely on batteries, heat pipes, and radiators, navigating the Moon’s extreme climates. From scorching lunar daylight peaks at 107 degree Celsius to bone-chilling shadowed zones plummeting to a staggering -240 degree Celsius.

The slated November 2024 launch aims to safely deliver VIPER to the lunar surface, heralding a pioneering exploration to unlock the Moon’s potential resources for future scientific and human endeavors.

ESA’s Hera mission

Hera, a mission orchestrated by the European Space Agency, follows in the footsteps of NASA’s DART mission that explored the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system in 2022.

DART’s mission involved not just a visit, but a deliberate collision with one of these asteroids, employing a planetary defense tactic termed “kinetic impact”. The forceful impact on Dimorphos resulted in a significant alteration of its orbit.

The kinetic impact strategy involves propelling an object into another to modify its trajectory. This technique holds potential significance in redirecting potentially hazardous objects away from an Earth-bound collision course.

Scheduled for an October 2024 launch, Hera’s journey aims to reach Didymos and Dimorphos by late 2026. Its primary objective involves detailed scrutiny of the asteroids’ physical properties, offering valuable insights into their composition and structure.