Who said space was boring? After an exceptional year in 2024 in many respects, 2025 could be even better. Many missions are planned for the next 12 months, starting with commercial flights.
On the French side, several start-ups should enter a new era in 2025. This new year of development should allow several projects to take off, literally and figuratively. As for our astronauts, neither Thomas Pesquet nor Sophie Adenot are planned for the rotation to the ISS. We will therefore have to wait a few more years.
The great beginnings of New Glenn
But this year 2025 should above all be marked by the birth of a rivalry. While space is today dominated by one company (SpaceX) and one man (Elon Musk). A rival seems to emerge from the shadows. Almost as rich as he is, Jeff Bezos wants to make his Blue Origin brand a leading solution for access to space.
2025 must be the year of the big debut for its powerful New Glenn rocket. Like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, its first stage is entirely reusable. In the future, it could launch heavy satellites for the military, probes for NASA or even orbiters to the Moon or Mars.
Around the Earth, the founder of Amazon would like to compete with SpaceX with the “Kuiper project”. Behind this mystical name actually hides the biggest threat to Starlink. Another mega-constellation of satellites, capable of connecting the world to the internet. The European Ariane 6 rocket should help Blue Origin in the deployment of this constellation with several satellites in space.
Rubin Observatory
Closer to us, astronomers around the world are impatiently awaiting July 4th. In addition to celebrating North American independence, this date will mark the first day Rubin observed the night sky. The giant telescope (it is the largest device in the world) should focus on observing dark matter.
This invisible mass (discovered by scientist Vera Rubin) would be at the heart of our Universe. By understanding it better, scientists hope to unravel the final mysteries of gravity in our world. Understanding dark matter could also be used for the theory of everything, the ultimate quest of all scientists for more than a century.
To the Moon…
In addition to observing the deep sky, 2025 should be the year of traveling in our neighborhood. NASA is due to carry out the Artemis 2 mission this year. With 4 astronauts on board, this is the first manned flight to the Moon since the 1970s.
Artemis 2 will however not land on our satellite. Instead, the ship will circle it closely. The 4 astronauts will then be able to take advantage of the Orion module to capture never-before-seen images of the Moon. This mission will be a major rehearsal before Artemis 3, and the return of Man to our satellite.
India enters the big leagues
Far from aiming for the Moon, India, whose space program is beginning, will try to send its first astronauts into space. Shubhanshu Shukla is expected to join the International Space Station (ISS) in the spring. At the same time, India continues to develop its own spacecraft to access space without the help of a third party.
Presented last December, Gaganyaan should take off in 2025, empty, to test its operation in the vacuum of space. If this mission is successful, it will pave the way for India’s first sovereign manned missions.
Starship always stronger, always higher
Impossible to miss. In 2025 as in 2024, the attraction of the year will undoubtedly be Starship. SpaceX’s giant ship is expected to fly again this year. After immense progress in 2024, the machine is expected to be around the corner.
An orbital mission is on everyone’s mind and when we know the capacity to complete stages successfully, no one dares to give limits to SpaceX in the development of its ship. Elon Musk’s company must nevertheless remain impeccable.
Starship will be the return ship for NASA astronauts during Artemis 3. It must, by then, finish convincing the American space agency of its proper functioning. 2025 therefore promises to be a decisive year in the development of the Starship.
