Yearender 2021: Space tourism, Mars decoded, a Webb(ed) Christmas reward, and extra

The 12 months 2021 could also be remembered by most because the 12 months of coronavirus vaccination and variants. But it was additionally a 12 months that stretched the boundaries of explorations in house. NASA introduced the right wrap for 2021 with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which can assist reply questions in regards to the first shaped stars and galaxies.
This 12 months additionally noticed a increase in non-public house tourism with December witnessing a document 19 individuals in house.
In July, Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson hurtled into house aboard his personal rocket and skilled three to 4 minutes of weightlessness earlier than safely gliding again.

Welcome aboard #Unity22, Virgin Galactic’s first fully-crewed take a look at flight. Watch the historic second by means of the eyes of our mission specialists. pic.twitter.com/DEwbBkgJYl
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) July 13, 2021
Nine days later, billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos additionally accomplished his spaceflight. Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched an all-civilian crew into house in September. They spent three days in orbit earlier than splashing down within the Atlantic Ocean.
This month, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa grew to become the primary house vacationer to journey to the International Space Station in additional than a decade. He spent 12 days in house as a practice-run for his journey across the moon with SpaceX in 2023.
Mars ahoy!
In February, NASA’s Perseverance rover made a historic landing on the crimson planet after “the seven minutes of terror.”

When 2021 began, I used to be flying by means of house at over 50,000 mph/80,000 kph. One (Earth) 12 months later, my land velocity is certainly slower – however my tempo of discoveries is barely selecting up. So far more to return: https://t.co/pT3fCGkL1i pic.twitter.com/nYn0w3DY3C
— NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) December 29, 2021
In April, the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) produced 5 grams of oxygen from carbon dioxide within the Martian environment, sufficient for an astronaut to breathe for 10 minutes. The identical month Ingenuity, the small helicopter carried by Perseverance, began its flight on Mars. In September, the rover efficiently collected its first rock pattern for return to Earth, and in October, by learning the photographs despatched by the rover, researchers confirmed that Mars’ Jezero crater was as soon as a lake.
In February, UAE’s Hope spacecraft entered the orbit of Mars to review the Martian environment and local weather dynamics. In May, China’s first Mars rover, named Zhurong after an historic fireplace god, additionally began exploring the floor of the planet.
All about asteroids
In May, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft departed asteroid Bennu with samples of mud and began its two-year lengthy journey again to Earth.
In October, NASA launched the Lucy mission to review Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. Believed to be wealthy in carbon compounds, the asteroids could even present new insights into the origin of natural supplies and life on Earth, NASA stated.
On November 24, NASA launched the ‘DART mission’, which is the company’s first planetary protection take a look at mission. Between September 26 and October 1, 2022, the spacecraft is anticipated to deliberately collide with a small moonlet referred to as Dimorphos and alter its orbit.

.@NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft has opened its “eye” and returned its first photos from house — a significant operational milestone for the spacecraft and #DARTMission workforce.
Learn extra: https://t.co/j74DxqgVln pic.twitter.com/UotnwX1KGI
— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) December 22, 2021
 
A extremely popular date!
On December 14, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe entered the Sun’s environment (corona) for the primary time.

For the primary time in historical past, a spacecraft touched the Sun. NASA’s #ParkerSolarProbe is the primary spacecraft to fly by means of the Sun’s outer environment, or corona.
This milestone in 2021 will assist scientists extra about our closest star. #YrInAssessmenthttps://t.co/XfW3461hqn pic.twitter.com/iw7Zy0KUDR
— NASA Goddard (@NASAGoddard) December 28, 2021
Launched in 2018, the probe was 13 million kilometers from the middle of the solar. According to the researchers the spacecraft dipped out and in of the corona at the very least 3 times, every a clean transition. The probe will preserve transferring nearer to the solar till its remaining orbit in 2025.
China Space Station
In April, the primary module of the Chinese Space Station referred to as the Tianhe (Harmony of the Heavens) was launched. “(Tianhe) is an important pilot project in the building of a powerful nation in both technology and in space,” state media quoted President Xi Jinping as saying in a congratulatory speech.
Movie in Space
In October, Russian Actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko spent 12 days on the International Space Station and produced the world’s first movie in house.