Space Science and Exploration in 2025: What to expect
- Aditi Rao
- Jan 8
- 3 min read
2025 is shaping up to be a stellar year in space exploration. From groundbreaking missions to stunning celestial events, there’s a lot to get excited about. Here’s what’s on the cosmic calendar for the year.
NASA Astronauts Finally Coming Back to Earth
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts who’ve been hanging out on the International Space Station (ISS) way longer than planned, are finally set to return to Earth in March 2025. Originally supposed to stay for just eight days in June 2024, propulsion issues with their spacecraft extended their mission to a whopping nine months! While they weren’t technically "stranded" (plenty of regular supply runs to the ISS kept them comfy), it’s been a long wait.
The dynamic duo joined SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission to hitch a ride home. Although Crew-9 was initially slated to return in February 2025, delays with the next mission, Crew-10, have pushed their return to March. Fingers crossed there are no more delays!
Keeping Tabs on Earth From Space
In 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) is launching two incredible missions to keep an eye on Earth’s ecosystems from space.
FLEX Mission: The FLuorescence EXplorer will provide a bird’s-eye view of plant health
around the globe. Using a high-tech instrument called FLORIS, it will measure photosynthesis on a massive scale to help us understand how plants contribute to the global carbon cycle. Pretty cool, right?
Biomass Mission: This mission will focus on forests, tracking changes and providing insights into their health. Together, these missions could influence climate change policies, improve agricultural practices, and enhance food security.
The Artemis Program: Prepping for the Moon
While there won’t be any big rocket launches for the Artemis program in 2025, it’s still a critical year for NASA’s plans to return humans to the Moon. Here’s where things stand:
Artemis I: The uncrewed test mission went off without a hitch in 2022, successfully sending the Orion spacecraft into lunar orbit.
Artemis II: This mission will carry a human crew around the Moon, but it’s now set for April 2026, delayed to allow more time to address issues with Orion and give commercial partners like SpaceX time to prepare the Starship lunar lander.
Artemis III: This will be the big one—putting humans back on the Moon for the first time since 1972! While we’ll have to wait a bit longer for this historic moment, astronauts are already training at the LUNA facility in Germany.
Sky-Watching Highlights for 2025
If you’re more into stargazing than space stations, 2025 has plenty to offer. Here’s what to look out for:
Quadrantid Meteor Shower: Catch this spectacular show from mid-November through mid-January, with a peak on January 3. The meteors radiate from the northern sky but can appear anywhere, so just grab a blanket, stay up late, and enjoy the show.
Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower: Best viewed from April 20 to May 21, this one peaks on May 3-4. While it’s strongest in the southern tropics, you can still spot it north of the equator.
Lunar Eclipses: Mark your calendars for two total lunar eclipses in 2025. The first happens on March 14, visible in the Pacific, Americas, Western Europe, and Western Africa. The second is on September 7, visible in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Talk about a treat for skywatchers!
Good news: There’s no need to worry about any asteroids or meteors hitting Earth this year. It’s all about enjoying the beauty of space.
2025 promises an exciting mix of cutting-edge space science and natural wonders visible right from your backyard. Whether it’s measuring the health of Earth’s ecosystems, watching astronauts finally come home, or gazing at meteors and eclipses, there’s something for everyone. Keep your eyes on the skies!
Commentaires