What surprises does this ambitious space year have in store?

In 2024, American, Canadian, German, New Zealand, and Japanese firms have submitted applications to launch their spacecraft. Elon Musk's SpaceX alone is going to make 148 rocket launches. If last year 211 missions were sent into orbit, then this year satellites will take off from cosmodromes almost every day.

Merry starts of the Indians

On New Year's Day, the Indians used the PSLV-DL launch vehicle to launch the XPoSat X-ray laboratory into orbit. In 5 years, she will have to study the activity of fifty neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes.




The Indian Space Research Organization has planned to launch 2024 missions in 12. The Gaganyaan project stands apart with the LVM3 launch vehicle, which will deliver a module with the first astronauts in history into orbit.

Just in case, it is equipped with an emergency evacuation system. In the event of an accident during takeoff, the capsule with the crew will be released, the parachutes will work, and the astronauts will return to Earth without much risk. Three days are allotted for experiments and experiments, after which the descent module will splash down at a given point in the Indian Ocean. The mission will take place at the turn of 2024-2025.

After the Moon, the Japanese set their sights on Mars

In January, the SLIM lander - the brainchild of the specialized national agency JAXA - delivered a pair of compact lunar rovers to the Moon. Now ambitious Asians are planning a September MMX mission to Mars, sent to study its satellites Deimos and Phobos.


In a year, MMX will reach the outskirts of Mars and begin studying objects of interest from a distance, from orbit. Then the device will land on Phobos and release a rover with tools for collecting soil samples. After a 100-day voyage, the rover will return to base with useful luggage, and MMX will return home.

Towards Jupiter

In October, the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle will rush the Europa Clipper space laboratory towards Jupiter's moon Europa. This will be the longest expedition of the current decade. The NASA probe will cover 3 billion km to reach Jupiter in April 2030.


The device will fly through Europa's gushing geysers to capture moisture samples. It is equipped with instruments to detect signs of biological activity. 45 orbits around the satellite are planned at an altitude of 25-1400 km. Jupiter's moons such as Callisto and Ganymede will also be studied.

We made it to the asteroids

In the fall, the Hera probe will make another exciting journey, this time under the auspices of ESA. To meet the asteroid Dimorphos, it will travel 11 million km.


Let me remind you: as part of the program to protect the Earth from a possible collision with meteorites in 2020, the mentioned celestial body was attacked by the DART ship. As a result of such contact, a crater appeared. Now it is necessary to find out how, due to the dynamic impact, the trajectory of the asteroid, as well as its structure, changed during this time. The first of the nanosatellites on board will analyze the composition of the tail dust, the second will carry out sampling on Dimorphos.

Ariane 6 debut

In the summer, the Ariane 6 launch vehicle, created by Parisian designers, will be launched from French Guyana (the exact date will be determined in April). The corporations Airbus, Safran and several hundred other companies from 20 countries are involved in the creation of the product.


Carrier height – 62 m, weight – 860 t; can be equipped with two or four accelerators using cryogenic fuel. The first stage is represented by a Vulcain engine, the second - Vinc. They are capable of launching 11,5-ton payloads into orbit.

The Germans conquer orbit

The debut of a German rocket from Rocket Factory Augsburg AG is also scheduled for the summer. The launch will take place from the British SaxaVord spaceport. The 30-meter RFA One carrier is capable of launching a satellite up to 1,35 tons or a swarm of satellites into orbit. The upper stage of 9 engines is designed to be reusable, which will reduce the cost of missions.


The Spectrum rocket from Munich-based Isar Aerospace is also ready for its first flight. The developers are confident in the competitiveness of their budget brainchild.

The American lunar rover Odysseus is preparing space navigation

On February 15, the Falcon 9 launch vehicle with the Nova-C spacecraft from Intuitive Machines went into near-Earth space. On February 22, the lander reached the Moon, delivering the Odysseus rover there. The robotic arm is equipped with Lunar Node equipment to test and support the navigation network for subsequent lunar missions.


Thus, the Honeybee Robotics company has developed a project for the construction of a network of 200-meter radio masts and beacons at the South Pole. In addition, video cameras, spotlights, and solar power plants will be installed there.

American Viper will look for water

In November, the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle will launch into orbit the Griffin lander with the Viper lunar rover from the Pittsburgh company Astrobotic. The mobile laboratory will study the South Pole of the Moon, where the temperature amplitude reaches 350^o C. The purpose of the trip as part of a NASA superproject called Artemis is to search for ground ice for astronauts who are supposed to be placed on lunar bases in the future.


The Viper is equipped with a 1 m long drill, three spectrometers to determine the chemical composition of samples, video cameras and lights. All operations will be controlled by a secure on-board computer.

The mission is designed for 100 days, during which the rover will have to travel 20 km. It will be connected to Earth through the Deep Space Network.

China is also concentrating on the Moon

Having delivered 2020 kg of lunar soil to Earth in 1,73, the Chinese intend to send the Chang'E-6 apparatus to the Moon in May. A complex project is being implemented on its reverse side, where communication with the Earth is difficult.


The largest crater, Aitken, was discovered there. The rocks contained in it are of particular scientific value. Chang'E-6 will head there with drilling equipment and monitoring equipment.

Dream Chaser spaceplane - successor to the Space Shuttle

The first flight of a reusable spaceplane such as the Dream Chaser Spaceplane from Sierra Space is planned for the middle of the year. It is needed to service the ISS. The plans include the construction of a spaceplane fleet. The DC-100 Tenacity ship is currently being prepared, Reverence is already being tested, which will be launched before the end of the year.


This seven-seat American development is traditionally placed on a launch vehicle (Vulcan Centaur), but is four times smaller than the Space Shuttle. After entering orbit and maneuvering, it will dive down and land on its own.