Space exploration gave moments of hope in a difficult year.
Three countries sent spaceship to Mars in 2020. Astronauts launched into orbit from the United States for the first time in almost ten years. And robotic explorers picked up rocks from the Moon and one asteroid.
High expectations for 2021
Expectations are also high for 2021. Landing on Mars is expected next February and the planned launch of the James Webb Space Telescope will take place in the fall. The huge telescope replaces the famous Hubble Space Telescope.
Other developments are also expected. The aerospace company Boeing hopes to catch up with SpaceX on the launch of astronauts. And space tourism you can finally get off the ground.
Scott Hubbard was the first director of the US space agency’s (NASA) Mars program. He now teaches at Stanford University. He said: “2021 promises to be such a brilliant space exploration stain, maybe even more “.
Major projects were advanced
Although the coronavirus crisis created problems for all space programs by 2020, most very important projects went ahead.
The US, China and the UAE launched spacecraft to Mars.
NASA’s Perseverance robot explorer is scheduled to land on February 18th. Perseverance will be cut to dry soil and harvested samples to return to Earth.
The UAE spacecraft is this country’s first attempt to visit another planet. He will study the Martian atmosphere.
China’s Tianwen-1 will look for signs of ancient life on the red planet.
China also conducted explorations of the Moon in 2020. In December, a Chinese spacecraft landed and then launched to the lunar surface. It collected the first lunar rocks returned to Earth since the 1970s.
Japan recovered parts of the asteroid Ryugu. More asteroid samples they are on their way. NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft obtained samples from the asteroid Bennu in October. Samples are scheduled to return in 2023.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX company did a lot in 2020. In May, SpaceX became the first private company to send people into orbit, a success that only three powerful nations could claim before.
In November, four more astronauts traveled with a SpaceX dragon to the International Space Station. Three weeks later, SpaceX launched its largest launch to the space station for NASA.
Mark Kelly, who was elected senator by the state of Arizona, said the event was something that “Americans should be proud of. “
Until SpaceX flights, Russia’s three-person Soyuz spacecraft was the only way to get astronauts to the space station after NASA flights stopped.
SpaceX ended the year with a test flight of Starship, the spacecraft the company is building to take people to the moon and Mars. The December 9 event was marked by an explosion on the landing. Still, Musk said he was extremely happy.
In addition, SpaceX is expanding the number of people willing to ride on its Dragon spacecraft. Late next year, SpaceX expects to launch the first privately funded Dragon flight in a deal with Houston-based Axiom Space.
Michael Lopez-Alegria de la Axiom, a former NASA astronaut and former president of the Federation of Commercial Spaceflight, will go with Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe. They will be joined by two more people who pay to visit the space station.
“This is the true beginning of private space flight and will make the ball go backwards multiple private missions in orbit per year, “Lopez-Alegria said in an email.
Two other space travel companies are still doing test flights. They are the blue origin of Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic of Richard Branson. These companies have not yet set dates to send people on short flights around space and back.
The future of space programs in the US
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants the landing of the moon by American astronauts in 2024. It would be the first since NASA’s Apollo program more than 50 years ago.
In December, NASA introduced 18 astronauts who will train for the lunar program called Artemis.
John Logsdon, of the Institute for Space Policy at George Washington University, said the past four years “have been positive by the U.S. civilian space program. “Logsdon added:” No … the major programs were canceled, a clear direction was given to the human exploration program, and financing for existing programs increased “.
I’m John Russell.
Marcia Dunn reported this story to the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. he was the editor.
2020 saw many successes in space exploration
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Words in this story
spaceship – n. a vehicle used to travel into outer space
asteroid – n. any of the thousands of small planets orbiting the sun
tourism – n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure
stain – n. a small area of a different surface from other areas: a given space or area
shows – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the topic from which it was taken
multiple – adj. more than one
mission – n. a task or job that someone intends to do
proud – adj. making people satisfied
positive – adj. a good result, not bad
financing – n. money available for a purpose