6 upcoming space missions worth keeping an eye on
Having pretty thoroughly explored the World, humanity has since turned its attention to the stars. There are a myriad of missions already in the history books, and many more than underway. Nosotros're at a pivotal time in our exploration of space. With a bit of luck and science, we may soon be able to explore more freely and understand the nature of the universe — it's a bright future. These are vi of the most important upcoming missions that will become us there.
Mars 2022 rover
The Curiosity rover has been a huge success. Subsequently landing on mars in 2022, the rover has lasted much longer than the original blueprint life, and has traveled farther on mars than any robot before information technology. The next step is the as-even so unnamed Mars 2022 rover. Equally the placeholder name implies, NASA wants to launch this mission in 2022. The rover volition be based on the incredibly successful design of Curiosity, but the instruments it takes forth for the ride will be vastly improved.
The Mars 2022 rover will be equipped to investigate the geology of Mars with an middle toward detecting the signs of past (or present) life on the Red Planet. It will employ Raman Spectroscopy and x-ray lithochemistry to identify elemental components and organic materials on Mars with much more sensitivity than Curiosity can. Information technology may also carry an experiment to produce breathable oxygen from Mars' predominantly carbon dioxide atmosphere. This could have major implications for future manned missions.
James Webb Space Telescope launch
We've been talking a lot well-nigh the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) lately — NASA has completed construction of the hardware, and is currently testing information technology on the ground. It has besides asked astronomers to begin submitting proposals for fourth dimension on the telescope after information technology'south online. This telescope will be much more powerful the Hubble, which has a mere 48 square feet of reflective surface compared with JWST'south 270 square feet.
The James Webb Infinite Telescope will exist able to seem further into the infrared than Hubble, significant it can written report objects that are obscured by dust or gas. In order to avert avoid contaminating heat, the telescope will be placed in the L2 Lagrange signal with the World permanently betwixt the telescope and the sun. The launch is currently on track for October of 2022.
New Horizons Kuiper Belt Extended Mission
NASA's New Horizons mission was big news in 2022 when it reached Pluto after nigh a decade in infinite. It'southward not over for the plucky little probe—NASA has added a Kuiper Belt Extended Mission (KEM) to the schedule. The program is to transport New Horizons onward into the Kuiper Belt to examine these frigid balls of stone and ice.
New Horizons volition make a flyby of an object known equally 2022 MU69 on Jan 1st 2022. This object is 20 or 25 miles in diameter and has an unknown limerick. This will be the beginning time nosotros've gotten a close-up expect at a Kuiper Belt object (other than Pluto). Their similarities or differences could tell united states a great deal.
ExoMars, part 2
Okay, the outset part of ExoMars (a joint effort of the ESA and Russia'southward Roscosmos) didn't go super-well when the stationary Schiaparelli lander delivered by the Trace Gas Orbiter crashed into the surface. The second phase of ExoMars is set up to launch in 2022, and hopefully it goes better. This volition include a new surface platform and a rover.
The new ExoMars surface station will be used to monitor the planet'southward orbit and atmospheric variables over the course of a twelvemonth. Meanwhile, the rover volition accept an advanced exobiology module to search for signs of life. A core drill volition also allow the rover to dig deep into the surface to obtain its samples. The ESA and Roscosmos look the landing to accept place in 2022.
SpaceX Dragon 2 crewed flight
SpaceX is one of two companies currently participating in NASA'due south Commercial Crew Programme, the other being Boeing. There'south cipher wrong with Boeing's plans, but SpaceX has a lot more interesting new technology in the crewed version of the Dragon capsule. Like the current cargo Dragon, the Dragon two capsule will exist launched by a Falcon nine rocket that tin can country back on Globe later sending the second stage into space.
Dragon 2 volition have space for seven astronauts, and NASA has already contracted for vi crewed flights to the ISS. The next few years volition include milestones for the Dragon ii — the ane to watch is in May of 2022. That's when the Dragon 2 will ferry two astronauts upwardly to the ISS, marker the first time humans have ridden an American spacecraft since the Space Shuttle was retired.
Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM)
There are thousands of near-World asteroids, and we can only learn so much about these objects from robotic exploration. Sending people to an asteroid is still exterior our capabilities, but maybe we can bring role of one hither. NASA's JPL is working on a plan to visit a nearby asteroid with a probe, and bring a slice of it back.
The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) is currently planned for a 2022 launch, but there's nonetheless a lot of planning that needs to be done. The probe would land on an asteroid like 2008 EV5 and pick up a 4-meter boulder. The mission could also include an analysis of gravity deflection — testing to see if the mass of the probe and boulder can affect the orbit of the asteroid. The boulder would pose no danger to World if it were to get away on the render trip. The idea is that it could be deposited in orbit of the moon and astronauts could visit information technology at a later engagement in the mid 2022s.
Now read: What is the Fermi Paradox?
Check out our ExtremeTech Explains series for more in-depth coverage of today's hottest tech topics.
Source: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/243095-6-fascinating-upcoming-space-missions-keep-eye
Posted by: eaglewelinigh.blogspot.com
0 Response to "6 upcoming space missions worth keeping an eye on"
Post a Comment