Several Mars exploration missions and other space news in 2021

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While 2020 may have derailed and delayed some scientific plans due to the pandemic, 2021 still promises to be a year of science “as we have rarely seen”, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Directorate of NASA science missions.

Several missions will explore Mars, new telescopes will begin observations, and plans are underway to bring humans back to the Moon by 2024.

While the pandemic will likely delay the launch and progress of some missions, others remain on track, especially those already in space. Here’s what we can expect in 2021.

Explore Mars in New Ways

It is true that 2020 was the year of the launch of multiple missions to Mars – China’s Tianwen-1, the United Arab Emirates’ Hope probe, and NASA’s Perseverance rover – and 2021 will likely be the year of news. discoveries on Mars.
All three missions took advantage of an alignment between Mars and Earth that takes place every 26 months, allowing for faster and more efficient travel when both planets are on the same side of the sun.

All three are expected to arrive on Mars in February.

The Hope spacecraft will orbit Mars, marking the first time the UAE has put the Red Planet into orbit. The probe will remain in orbit for a Martian year – equivalent to 687 days on Earth – to collect data on the Mars atmosphere.

The year 2020 in space discoveries

Tianwen-1, whose name means “Quest for Heavenly Truth,” is China’s first mission to Mars. The probe will circle the planet before landing a rover on the surface, in the hope that it can gather important information about Martian soil, geological structure, environment, atmosphere and water signs.

Tianwen-1 includes an orbiter, deployable camera, lander, and rover. Once the lander lands on Mars, it will extend a ramp that allows the rover to descend to the surface. The orbiter can be used to relay signals from the rover to Earth, and the rover can send messages to Earth on its own.

Perseverance will land on Mars on February 18. The rover is equipped with several cameras, including video, as well as microphones, which will hear and record the landing live. NASA expects to have sound, images and video on Earth within a few weeks of landing.
Scientists say they have found a potential way to make oxygen on Mars
Underneath the rover is Ingenuity, the first helicopter to fly – if it succeeds – on another planet.

Once the rover lands, Perseverance’s two-year mission will begin.

The rover will also find a nice flat surface to drop the Ingenuity helicopter so it can use it as a helipad for its five potential test flights over a 30-day period. This will happen in the first 50 to 90 sols, or Martian days, of the mission.

Once Ingenuity is installed on the surface, Perseverance will travel remotely and use its cameras to watch and record Ingenuity’s flight.

This official work of art from the Perseverance mission depicts the rover sitting on Mars.

After these flights, Perseverance will begin to search for evidence of ancient life, study the climate and geology of Mars, and collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth via planned future missions.

Explore exoplanets

The highly anticipated James Webb Space Telescope, slated for launch in October, will be NASA’s next major space observatory.
However, the telescope’s launch has been delayed and postponed several times over the years, and it could face more delays due to the pandemic.

The new target launch date is October 31, 2021. The telescope will be launched from French Guiana. Previously launched in March 2021, it was delayed by the pandemic and technical challenges, according to the agency.

The telescope will answer questions about our solar system, study exoplanets in new ways, and scan the universe deeper than we have ever been able to do before.

This telescope is our next great detective in the universe

It is equipped with a mirror that can extend 21 feet, 4 inches – a massive length that will allow the mirror to collect more light from the objects it observes once the telescope is in space. The more light the mirror can collect, the more detail the telescope can observe.

It’s the largest mirror ever built by NASA, the agency said, but its size has created a unique problem. The mirror was so big it couldn’t fit into a rocket. So they designed the telescope as a series of moving parts that could bend origami-style and fit into a 16-foot space for launch.

“Webb is designed to build on the incredible legacy of the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, observing the infrared universe and exploring every phase of cosmic history,” said Eric Smith, NASA Webb program scientist at the agency’s headquarters, in a press release.

“The observatory will detect light from the first generation of galaxies that formed in the early universe after the Big Bang and will study the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets for possible signs of habitability.”

Vera Rubin’s first light

When the Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins its observations in 2023 from its base in Chile, its SUV-sized camera will be able to capture full panoramas of the southern sky every few nights. It requires a new kind of camera never seen before.

It is the largest digital camera in the world, capable of spotting a golf ball 24 km away while capturing stunning 3,200 megapixel images.

The observatory’s “first light” is expected in 2021. The first light is the first astronomical image captured by a telescope after its completion.
The world's largest digital camera could unravel mysteries of the universe

The observatory’s capabilities will allow it to spot pale objects 100 million times darker than what we can see with the naked eye. It is designed to map the Milky Way, explore dark energy and dark matter, and study the solar system.

During the 10-year investigation, the camera is expected to photograph 20 billion galaxies.

Rubin, who died in 2016, has mentored other aspiring astronomers and championed women in science. Considered one of the world’s most influential astronomers, Rubin provided some of the earliest evidence for the existence of dark matter – which includes much of the universe but cannot be seen.

The camera is currently being assembled and the team estimated that the camera will be ready for testing by mid-2021 before being sent to Chile for installation.

Artemis: a new space generation

NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon in 2024, made great strides last year despite the pandemic. And 2021 will likely see more progress and milestones for the program.

Milestones achieved so far for the Artemis program include the introduction of the Artemis agreements and the signing by other nations; the completion of the main phase of the SLS rocket and the Orion crew capsule that will transport the Artemis astronauts into space; and advance on the Gateway Lunar Outpost which will help astronauts land on the moon.
Astronauts Artemis could be among the first to return to the moon
The first team of 18 Artemis astronauts has also been announced, and it’s a diverse group that includes newcomers to NASA as well as spaceflight veterans.
Astronauts will explore the south pole of the moon, focusing on experimental science and learning more about the origin of water on the moon, among other scientific goals.

While the first Artemis mission in November 2021 will be an unmanned flight test, Artemis II will be a crewed moon flyby in August 2023.

These missions will pave the way for Artemis III – when the astronauts return to the surface of the moon.

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will create the first maps of the moon’s water resources for future exploration of human space once it lands on the lunar surface in 2022.

An Artemis base camp could be established at the lunar south pole by the end of the decade.

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