This Orion spacecraft will fly on NASA’s unmanned Artemis I mission, possibly late in 2021.
NASA / Marvin Smith
Last year was big for space missions. Now that we are officially in 2021, NASA is looking forward to a full schedule of space exploration as it aims at the moon, Mars and beyond. The space agency has released a video preview showing its plans for the new year, and the moon is the star of the program.
The NASA 2021 video begins with all eyes on the moon and the planned launch of Artemis I.
Although the video is full of hope and optimism, it is a challenge to get space missions off the ground in time. A NASA report released in late 2020 quoted Space Launch System (SLS) rocket delays, coronavirus pandemic problems with scheduling, and high costs as obstacles to the agency’s stated goal of landing humans on the moon by 2024 through the Artemis program.
The first major test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft is underway for 2021 with Artemis I, but we’ll have to wait and see if the unmanned mission can finally make it this year. start.
Beyond Apollo: sees NASA aim for the moon with Artemis 2024
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Other NASA targets for 2021 are well underway. The Perseverance is ready for a landing on Mars on February 18. If all goes well, it will be the beginning of a long-range plan to bring Mars rock samples back to Earth. The very retarded The James Webb Space Telescope is still on the calendar for a launch date on October 31st.
The Moon, Mars and James Webb are just a few of the highlights. The full video will take you from the International Space Station to the DART Asteroid Drive Mission. If NASA manages to pick up most of these items on its 2021 to-do list, we’ll have another epic year in space.
Follow NASA and other agencies throughout the year with our 2021 space calendar.