The space industry is off to an exciting start in 2025! Two lunar landers were launched in January, one from Firefly Aerospace in Texas and the other from Japan’s iSpace. Firefly is set to reach the moon by March, while iSpace’s craft will land in four months.
Just a day after these missions, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin achieved a major milestone with the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. SpaceX also had a significant event with the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket, although it ended in an unfortunate explosion.
The rest of the year promises to be just as eventful. Here are four space missions to keep an eye on in February 2025:
On February 26, Intuitive Machines will launch its second lunar lander, IM-2, carrying NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations to a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole. The mission follows the success of IM-1, Intuitive Machines’ first lunar lander.
On February 27, NASA’s PUNCH and SPHEREx missions are scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket. PUNCH will map out the Sun’s corona, while SPHEREx will search for water and carbon dioxide in the Milky Way.
SpaceX is planning its eighth Starship flight test, aiming to overcome the challenges faced in the previous test. The company’s ultimate goal is to create a fully reusable spacecraft for Mars missions.
India’s ISRO is gearing up to send astronauts into space, with uncrewed demonstrations planned for February. The Gaganyaan capsule will undergo testing to ensure its readiness for crewed flights next year.
These missions showcase the ongoing advancements in space exploration and offer a glimpse into the future of space travel. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the months to come!