2021 broke historical records for orbital space launches and space flight mission performance. While 1957 remains the year with the highest number of rocket launches, most launches then were just suborbital tests. There was undeniable progress in 1957, like the Sputnik, and the laying of the foundations for rocket science and space exploration, but the progress of 2021 goes beyond.
2021 saw amazing missions. The year marked the increased entry of private space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. These companies broke records launching tourists into space in numbers never seen before. However, the greatest accomplishments came from government-ed missions including NASA, China's CNSA, Europe's ESA, Japan’s JAXA, and Roscosmos.
Per the Mars rovers, the ISS, new space stations, China’s space program, NASA’s planetary missions, and the Webb Telescope.
2021 Was A Year To
Cooperation between countries, private companies, and national competition, especially between the U.S. and China, along with an increased technological capacity and a will to explore, are all driving the space race. There are drawbacks to this increased space activity. Space junk and traffic are some of the most controversial issues. The tug-of-war between China, Russia, and the U.S., the weaponizing of space, the nuclear space race, and space mining also present extreme risks. However, overall, looking back, 2021 has been perhaps the best year for humanity in space.
This year, the world saw heavy rockets burst out in the sky and smart land. It saw Perseverance making the Red Planet feel more like home than ever. The world also witnessed NASA’s historical announcements for the return to the Moon and saw the biggest and most powerful space telescope on its way to uncover the mysteries of the universe. Ellon Musk built and test-fired the holy grail of rockets, the Starship, and promised to colonize Mars. Additionally, SpaceX launched an army of Starlink satellites to take connectivity to new levels. Day-in and day-out the world saw how the International Space Station spirit is still alive despite its age and many problems.
However, the amazement did not stop there. China built a new space station in just months, and space enthusiasts also heard about new commercial space station plans. They worried when the legendary Hubble broke down and rejoiced when it came back to life. The world learned about Lucy and saw the spacecraft unfold its solar array before heading off to Jupiter to study asteroids as old as the solar system. There is no stopping the new space race. Humanity will continue to explore unknown worlds, conquer low-earth orbits, establish a long-term presence in space, ignite space factories, and work to set up bases on the Moon and Mars, and much more.
Source: The Hill