Ever since the dawn of space exploration in 1957, humankind has seen an unprecedented amount of growth in the domain of space exploration. With the innovation of new and advanced space technologies, both the government and private companies are competing to make space travel more accessible and affordable for the future, but let us ask the right questions. What is the future of space exploration?
Shoot for the Stars, Reach the Moon
For more than 50 years since the first moon mission, we have continued to push the boundaries of knowledge to accomplish feats unlike ever before. With the current plans of NASA to achieve the goal of an initial human landing by 2024 in its Artemis Mission, we are moving forward to setting new records in space exploration every decade.
Artemis I or formerly regarded as Exploration Mission-1, will be one of the most significant challenges to NASA’s deep space exploration systems and the first in a series of increasingly complex missions. It will lay the foundation steps for human space exploration and force us to make new technological and scientific advancements.
We are not just limited to just reaching the Moon; plans for developing an Artemis Base Camp at the lunar South Pole are also underway. These planned Base camps would include all the future one can imagine - such as a lunar terrain vehicle, a habitable mobility platform, a lunar foundation habitation module, power systems, and many more.
The Red Planet
After taking notes from the Artemis program, we will begin preparing for the next major feat in space exploration - Mars Colonization. NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and the renowned Orion spacecraft will be the backbone to build the Gateway and set up transportation for astronauts to and from Earth. SpaceX is not far behind the space race either; The Starship program proposed by Elon Must will act as a pioneer for a very cost-friendly and effective solution to space travel. It will provide a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry over 100 metric tonnes to Earth orbit. Adding to its capabilities, Starship will also feature tanker vehicles capable of allowing Starship to refill in low-Earth orbit prior to departing for Mars, enabling the transport of up to 100 tons to Mars.
Crossing Horizons
The dream of crossing horizons and reaching the stars is closer to reality than ever before. The renowned NASA Voyager 1 has made very important and significant strides in space exploration. The probe has broken through the sun’s magnetic bubble to be the first and only probe to touch the interstellar wind. Voyager 2 is not that far behind either.
It goes without a doubt that space exploration will continue to serve as the world’s leading hub for researchers to conduct cutting-edge research and technology development. Moreover, it will also facilitate the growth of other technologies in transportation domains, materials engineering, and many more, leading us to a better and brighter tomorrow. Cheers to science and discovery!
