Space expeditions have always been a huge part of scientific progress and national unity. However, during 2020, these projects also took a hit due to COVID-19 as they were all delayed. While some expeditions did occur— NASA took SpaceX’s astronauts into orbit from the US soil after nine years and China brought back moon rocks for the first time in forty-four years— many other projects, like Russia’s Rosalind Franklin rover project got pushed back to 2022. Despite these setbacks, we still have a lot to look forward to in the coming year.

2021 is already off to a huge start with 3 major Mars expeditions: the United Arab Emirates launched the Hope Orbiter, China initiated the Tianwen-1 mission, and the United States sent the Perseverance Rover reaching the Mars orbit in February. All of these missions were launched in mid-2020 and the countries were eagerly looking forward to the landing date. The Perseverance Rover landed on Mars in late February, which will be joined later by the Tianwen-1 rover; both will be looking for signs of extraterrestrial life and will be attempting to understand the geometry of the planet. The Tianwen-1 is also looking for a better understanding of the atmosphere and attempting to get back soil or rocks. The Hope Orbiter is attempting to get a better understanding of the planet’s atmosphere as well, and if all goes well, they may be looking at launching a two year Mars mission. This mission was an important one for China and the UAE since it was both countries’ first time exploring Mars. These missions were evidence of the ever-expanding progress in science and space exploration that will hopefully lead to many more exciting projects in the future.

The recent growth in space exploration is an important and valuable step towards the advancement of mankind. The exploration of the vast, infinite void that lies beyond our world can bring about a plethora of technological and political benefits. Past missions and projects have already led to many crucial innovations: implantable heart monitors, light-based anti-cancer therapy, strong alloys used in jet turbines, and even cameras found in the average smartphone. These inventions have improved many aspects of our lives. Furthermore, space exploration has brought nations together that would otherwise be at constant odds. Because the cost of space travel is so high, countries like China, Russia, and the United States sometimes have to rely on each other. Though these countries may not be on good terms, the production of rockets and space missions encourages cooperation and collaboration. The benefits that we experience from space exploration are only expected to grow in the future. According to recent NASA documents, “Early human missions beyond LEO [ a distant star] are expected to take place in the early 2020s. The next ten years will be essential for building the global partnership required for achieving the ambitious goals of space exploration.” NASA plans to develop robotic systems, create new forms of transportation, and they are working on increasing efficiency while operating in extreme conditions. 

The latest advancements in space exploration have significantly boosted scientific progress and increased the unity of nations around the world. Humanity has gotten off to a great start with these three successful Mars missions, and it will definitely be exciting to see what happens next. Although we are in the midst of a global pandemic, there is a lot to look forward to. As we continue to explore what lies beyond our world, we grow closer to unlocking the limitless possibilities that space has to offer.