The year 2025 should, for NASA and Humanity, be the year in which human beings take over the direction of the Moon. But the calendar wanted it otherwise and we will therefore have to wait until 2026 to see the mission take off. Artemis II and therefore 2027 for Artemis III. But although next year will lose some of its panache, it will still see NASA maintain its place as a world leader in space.
No Artemis for NASA, but the Moon is still in sight
Even if Artemis II will not allow the first humans since 1972 to fly over the moon, the American space agency intends to go to the Moon using remotely controlled devices.
- Lunar Trailblazer – January 2025
A mission that takes place in the program Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) born in 2019. This is a satellite which will make it possible to map the distribution of water, in all its forms, on the Moon. Crucial data which will allow future astronauts who set foot there to be able to exploit this crucial resource for a long-term installation on our natural satellite.
- Intuitive Machines 2 (IM-2) – January 2025
Future human missions to the Moon will not only consist of exploring it, but finding ways to exploit its resources. It is in this context that IM-2 will leave Earth in the same rocket as Lunar Trailblazer. But, conversely from the previous one, the IM-2 device will land on the surface of the Moon at its South Pole more precisely.
There, he will perform the “first in-situ demonstration of the use of lunar resources using a drill and a mass spectrometer to measure the volatile substance content of underground materials.” we can read in the NASA mission description.
- Blue Ghost – mid-January 2025
To explore the Moon and make scientific discoveries, you need equipment and materials. If the latter cannot necessarily be carried in the same rocket as that which will transport the first human beings to the Moon since Apolloit is enough to send a lander which contains all the necessary equipment. On board, the moon Blue Ghost will transport 10 scientific equipment allowing the exploration of the lunar soil.
An eye on Earth and the Universe
Weather and climate forecasts, but also certain evidence of global warming, are part of NASA's missions thanks to the sending of satellites facing Earth directly. And of course, for scientific research and questions about the Universe, nothing beats a good astronomical telescope pointed directly towards the void of space.
- NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthethic Aperture Radar) – March 2025
NASA doesn't always work alone. This time, it is with the Indian space agency (ISRO) that the American space agency will collaborate to send this satellite into Earth orbit. The latter would therefore leave more than a year late, but better late than never. It will be used in particular to observe certain “constants” of the Earth and the possible consequences of global warming visible from the sky.
- SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) – end of February 2025
To understand and explore the origins of the Universe, it is easier and less time-consuming to capture images rather than going there. This is how until 2027, NASA will photograph nearly 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars thanks to the observatory SPHEREx.
Heading towards the ISS
The International Space Station, which will operate until 2031, the date of its deorbiting, will continue to welcome astronauts so that continuous human presence in space is ensured. Thus, several NASA launches will aim to reach the orbiting laboratory, but a few stand out from the crowd.
- Axiom Mission 4 (AX-4) – spring 2025
A private mission managed, of course, by SpaceX which will allow a Hungarian, an Indian and a Pole to be the first astronauts from their respective countries to join the ISS. The latter will stay two weeks in the laboratory.
- Dream Chaser – May 2025
For the transport of goods in space and in particular in the ISS, NASA no longer necessarily wants to use rockets. This is how the Dream Chaser of Sierra Space could be a lasting solution to replace the launchers. Reusable, the aircraft-like vessels will be able to transport goods to the ISS. All without a pilot.
- Boeing Starliner-1 – August 2025
The last chance for Boeing? The aerospace firm will have a chance to redeem itself after the monumental fiasco of the first manned test flight to the ISS. Indeed, the NASA astronauts who took part in this mission last June had to stay a week in space. They are still there today. They will not leave the ISS until February 2025. Boeing therefore has a chance to redeem itself and become a possible solution to replace SpaceX in the transport of people in space.
The first flight of NASA's supersonic plane
If you thought NASA was all about space, well you were wrong. Indeed, in 2025, after several years of testing, the American space agency will carry out the first flight of the X-59, a supersonic aircraft.
Not because NASA is looking to launch its airline, but because as a scientific institution specializing in the field of aerospace, it will seek, in partnership with the manufacturer Lockheed Martin in particular to design an aircraft capable of going at the speed of sound, or even beyond, but which might not necessarily produce the famous “Bang” that we hear when crossing the sound barrier.
So, even if Artemis II should have been the peak of the year 2025 with the return of Humanity around the Moon, NASA is still proposing a busy schedule where several scientific advances can take place.
For some, it will be time to show themselves, while for others, it will be time to prove that they are up to it.
Source: NASA
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
