A Look at the Top Space Industry Highlights in 2022
Space-faring religious folks, buckle up because last year was one for the history books! It may not have been a smooth ride, but boy was it a wild one. We avenged the dinosaurs, the much-anticipated journey to the moon, and tons of research came to life. It was seriously out of this world! (Pun definitely intended.) And while there were plenty of achievements to celebrate, some really stood out as cosmic highlights.
Let’s take a look at some of the “BANGEST” events from our 2022 Yearbook!
ARTEMIS 1
It would be a crime to not start with this! The most anticipated event of the year and getting it off the launch pad was a glorious moment to watch. I go back to watch the clip over and over again and I still get very excited just as the first time. The journey to the launchpad for Artemis 1 was filled with challenges, including scheduling issues and hydrogen leaks. Despite these obstacles, the mission was ultimately a success and marked a significant step forward in our efforts to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
November 16 marks the first in a series of flights that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the end of the decade. Artemis II has been proposed to launch in 2024 and we hope it comes soon. The Artemis 1 mission was an uncrewed flight that tested the capabilities of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft, which will be used for future crewed missions to the Moon. The mission will also demonstrate the use of lunar orbit as a gateway to other destinations in the solar system, including Mars. To get a tour of the Orion spacecraft, head over to Snapchat and use the Orion 360 Lens.
The DART Mission
Before we start this is a great time to brag about being a certified planetary defender. Oh yeah!
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission was truly an iconic one. It was conducted by NASA to test the feasibility of deflecting an asteroid, Dimorphos using a kinetic impactor. The DART mission involved the launch of a spacecraft equipped with a specialized impactor designed to collide with Dimorphos at high speeds and it was a success. The goal of the mission was to change the asteroid’s orbit by a small amount, which will provide valuable data on the feasibility of using this method to deflect asteroids that may pose a threat to Earth in the future. The DART mission is considered a critical step in asteroid hazard prevention and will provide valuable insights into the behavior of asteroids and the potential for redirecting them away from Earth.
Above all, I am happy we get to avenge the Dinosaurs!
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
Definitely, the most talked about Space mission last year. JWST is a space telescope that is being developed by NASA, with significant contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The JWST is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and is considered the most powerful space telescope to date. Though it was launched in 2021, it sent us our first set of images in July 2022.
My favorite picture is that of Jupiter, my favorite planet in our Solar system.
It is not only about exquisite images, but it has also generated valuable data. Recently, the telescope discovered some of the earliest known galaxies and has even detected previously unknown exoplanets. We hope to get more pictures and discoveries this year.
SpaceX sets a new record in launches
I can’t end this without some Space X news! SpaceX definitely had a field year in 2022 and hit its 60-launch goal in December. This year, SpaceX aims to outperform its previous record by launching a total of 100 missions, the majority of which will carry Starlink satellites. This ambitious goal was announced by CEO Elon Musk via Twitter. We are reaching for the stars this year, literally.
I am definitely looking forward to all the goodies. More science missions to watch, NASA’s first spacecraft designed to study a metallic asteroid is set to launch in October, asteroid samplings, the first commercial vehicles launches, the highly anticipated Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, known as JUICE, crew assignments for Artemis II, among others. Cheers to making history this year!
