2024 Another Big Year for Space Exploration
2025-01-06
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1As we enter the new year, we take a look back at some of the biggest space stories of 2024.
2Nearly one year ago, a private spacecraft completed the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years.
3The American space agency NASA announced the space lander, called Odysseus, had touched down on the lunar surface February 22.
4Odysseus was developed by the Texas-based company Intuitive Machines.
5The spacecraft carried out several science experiments before powering down permanently on the moon in late March.
6NASA said Odysseus had successfully captured data to help the agency "better understand the moon's environment and improve landing precision and safety."
7Japan's space agency JAXA announced in January 2024 that its SLIM spacecraft had successfully landed on the moon.
8But the lander touched down the wrong way up, causing some communication and power problems.
9Japanese space officials reported that they stayed in communication with SLIM through late April.
10They said the spacecraft was able to collect valuable data about the touchdown and surrounding area.
11One purpose of the mission was to demonstrate new precision landing technology.
12JAXA said the experiment was successful because SLIM was able to land within 10 meters of its planned target.
13In May, China launched its Chang'e 6 spacecraft to the moon's far side.
14In late June, Chinese space officials announced the spacecraft had returned to Earth with rock and soil samples collected on the lunar surface.
15The successful return made China the first country to ever collect and bring back lunar samples from the far side of the moon.
16The area is known as the far side because it always faces away from Earth.
17In October, the European Space Agency (ESA) said it had successfully launched a spacecraft, called Hera, to explore an asteroid struck in an earlier NASA test mission.
18Hera's trip to the asteroid is expected to take about two years.
19Hera is headed to the asteroid Dimorphos.
20NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the space rock in 2022, about 11 million kilometers from Earth.
21NASA said its mission successfully showed it was possible to change the orbit of asteroids that might threaten Earth in the future.
22Hera aims to closely examine Dimorphos to get more details on how the strike by DART affected the asteroid.
23The data that NASA collected is to be used together with information gathered by ESA to develop future planetary defense plans.
24NASA announced the successful launch of its Europa Clipper spacecraft in October.
25The explorer is designed to search for possible signs of life on Jupiter's moon Europa.
26Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and has numerous moons.
27But icy Europa has been identified by scientists as a good candidate for having the right conditions to support life.
28Several studies have suggested the moon likely contains a large ocean beneath its icy surface.
29NASA said the Europa Clipper would fly past Mars, then back toward Earth, "using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum."
30These kinds of "gravity assists" are expected to provide the needed push to get the spacecraft to Jupiter by 2030.
31In early June, Boeing successfully carried out a test mission for NASA by transporting two American astronauts - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - to the International Space Station (ISS).
32The two were expected to stay in space for only a week.
33But ongoing technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft prevented a return trip.
34NASA announced plans in August to have Starliner return to Earth without the astronauts.
35The current plan is for Wilmore and Williams to return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sometime in late March or April.
36SpaceX has now completed six launch tests of its huge Starship rocket system.
37Four of those tests were carried out in 2024.
38The last test took place in November.
39The Starship rocket and spacecraft system is designed to be a completely reusable vehicle to transport astronauts and supplies.
40It has successfully demonstrated that ability in its most recent experimental flights.
41During one of the tests in October, Starship's Super Heavy booster rocket was "caught" and secured by a huge structure that includes metal arms.
42A short time later, Starship's second stage safely splashed down in the Indian Ocean.
43I'm Bryan Lynn.
1As we enter the new year, we take a look back at some of the biggest space stories of 2024. 2Historic private moon landing 3Nearly one year ago, a private spacecraft completed the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years. The American space agency NASA announced the space lander, called Odysseus, had touched down on the lunar surface February 22. 4Odysseus was developed by the Texas-based company Intuitive Machines. The spacecraft carried out several science experiments before powering down permanently on the moon in late March. 5NASA said Odysseus had successfully captured data to help the agency "better understand the moon's environment and improve landing precision and safety." 6Japanese moon landing 7Japan's space agency JAXA announced in January 2024 that its SLIM spacecraft had successfully landed on the moon. But the lander touched down the wrong way up, causing some communication and power problems. 8Japanese space officials reported that they stayed in communication with SLIM through late April. They said the spacecraft was able to collect valuable data about the touchdown and surrounding area. 9One purpose of the mission was to demonstrate new precision landing technology. JAXA said the experiment was successful because SLIM was able to land within 10 meters of its planned target. 10Chinese moon landing and return 11In May, China launched its Chang'e 6 spacecraft to the moon's far side. In late June, Chinese space officials announced the spacecraft had returned to Earth with rock and soil samples collected on the lunar surface. 12The successful return made China the first country to ever collect and bring back lunar samples from the far side of the moon. The area is known as the far side because it always faces away from Earth. 13Europe's asteroid exploration mission 14In October, the European Space Agency (ESA) said it had successfully launched a spacecraft, called Hera, to explore an asteroid struck in an earlier NASA test mission. Hera's trip to the asteroid is expected to take about two years. 15Hera is headed to the asteroid Dimorphos. NASA crashed its DART spacecraft into the space rock in 2022, about 11 million kilometers from Earth. NASA said its mission successfully showed it was possible to change the orbit of asteroids that might threaten Earth in the future. 16Hera aims to closely examine Dimorphos to get more details on how the strike by DART affected the asteroid. The data that NASA collected is to be used together with information gathered by ESA to develop future planetary defense plans. 17Europa Clipper to explore Jupiter's moon 18NASA announced the successful launch of its Europa Clipper spacecraft in October. The explorer is designed to search for possible signs of life on Jupiter's moon Europa. 19Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and has numerous moons. But icy Europa has been identified by scientists as a good candidate for having the right conditions to support life. Several studies have suggested the moon likely contains a large ocean beneath its icy surface. 20NASA said the Europa Clipper would fly past Mars, then back toward Earth, "using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum." These kinds of "gravity assists" are expected to provide the needed push to get the spacecraft to Jupiter by 2030. 21Boeing's crew flight to the ISS 22In early June, Boeing successfully carried out a test mission for NASA by transporting two American astronauts - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - to the International Space Station (ISS). 23The two were expected to stay in space for only a week. But ongoing technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft prevented a return trip. 24NASA announced plans in August to have Starliner return to Earth without the astronauts. The current plan is for Wilmore and Williams to return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sometime in late March or April. 25SpaceX landing demonstration 26SpaceX has now completed six launch tests of its huge Starship rocket system. Four of those tests were carried out in 2024. The last test took place in November. 27The Starship rocket and spacecraft system is designed to be a completely reusable vehicle to transport astronauts and supplies. It has successfully demonstrated that ability in its most recent experimental flights. 28During one of the tests in October, Starship's Super Heavy booster rocket was "caught" and secured by a huge structure that includes metal arms. A short time later, Starship's second stage safely splashed down in the Indian Ocean. 29I'm Bryan Lynn. 30Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. 31__________________________________ 32Words in This Story 33precision - n. the quality of being very correct or exact 34sample -n. an amount of a substance that is taken for tests or scientific study 35asteroid - n. a rocky object that goes around the sun 36mission -n. (space exploration) the flight of a spacecraft to its target along with tasks expected to be carried out 37momentum - n. the force that makes something continue to move 38booster - n. an engine on a spacecraft that gives extra power for the first part of a flight 39stage -n. part of a rocket that contains engines and fuel, but which is left behind when the rocket reaches a certain distance above the Earth 40splash down -v. when a spacecraft reenters the Earth's atmosphere and lands in a body of water