Space News in 2022 That Confirms the Industry’s Robust and Exciting Future
News from outer space this year has not been disappointing. And this is only just the beginning as the private and commercial sectors have really got their feet under them now as they play a crucial role in partnering with decades-old public sector partners. With each coming year, don’t be surprised to have your mind blown again and again.
It’s been a reminder that there’s so much we still don’t know, and we all need to turn the volume up on our collaboration, dedication, and organization. Together, we always do great things. We’re excited to see how using more digital tools in the upcoming years will drastically change the space industry landscape. We’re deeply proud to be part of this industry, working with our customers to reach never before heights and depths.
Here’s a list of our favorite news stories to come out of space last year. Let us know if we missed something, and we’ll add it to our list with a shout out to you!
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE DELIVERED ITS FIRST COLOR IMAGES
In July 2022, we couldn’t believe our eyes. Images from the JWST of energetic jets and outflows from young stars that were previously hidden by dust clouds were more magnificent than we could have ever imagined. Their beauty took awe to a whole new level, and we as humans began to realize how very little we know indeed.
And just a few days ago this month, the telescope spotted faint galaxy “pearls”--previously unseen galaxies in the North Ecliptic Pole. Researchers had no idea that they would stumble upon such a “treasure trove” of so many distant galaxies, and how it would impact our understanding of how galaxies form and grow.
The JWST will be able to monitor this location in the sky year round without any obstructions, which will allow astronomers to monitor how astronomical objects change over time.
2. SATURN’S MOON MIGHT HAVE AN OCEAN BENEATH A LAYER OF ICE
Mimas, Saturn’s moon, might not be the “death star” void of life we thought it might be all these centuries. This past year, scientists found evidence of an ocean beneath the moon’s icy surface. Where there’s water, there’s life. Stay tuned to see if scientists are able to find definitive proof that would rock our solar system.
We continue to explore the universe because in our gut we know we’re not alone. This is where the fun is just beginning!
3. NASA CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF AN ASTEROID
On September 26, 2022, The Double Asteroid Redirection Test succeeded when it crashed into Dimorphus, an asteroid 6.8 million miles away and the size of a football stadium. This collision shortened the asteroid’s loop by 32 minutes, which far exceeded their 10-minute goal.
The DART spacecraft was only 1,300 pounds, but pummeled into the asteroid at 14,000 mph. Scientists are monitoring about 30,000 large objects in our region of the solar system–none of them headed for earth at the moment. They also estimate that there could be around 15,000 asteroids larger than 460 feet that have yet to be discovered.
4. ARTEMIS I FINALLY MADE ITS TRIP TO THE MOON AND BACK
After delays for months when several problems arose, NASA finally launched its mega moon rocket on November 16, 2022. With the U.S. return to the moon, we also had our first female launch director in NASA’s history. Truly a moment that will change the industry.
The rocket was as tall as the Statue of Liberty and weighed 5.75 million pounds. Its launch marked the return of astronaut-led deep space exploration, and the campaign will eventually send people to the moon–maybe even to Mars.
As the Orion capsule returned to Earth, it was able to capture stunning images of the moon’s surface–bombarded by asteroids and other objects that remind us how difficult it is to actually land on the moon. Images of Earth reminded us that this is not so much a moon mission as it is an Earth mission.
The Artemis I Orion capsule returned back to the earth on Sunday, December 11th–on the same day, 50 years ago, Apollo 17, the last mission launched to the moon. This mission is truly a return to astronaut-led exploration.
5. AXIOM SPACE Ax-1 MISSION LAUNCHES FIRST PRIVATE CREW (SPACEX) TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
On April 8, 2022 SpaceX launched a four-person crew in partnership with Axiom Space. The mission was hardly about space tourism, and very much about conducting experiments and research on the International Space Station. One of the crew members was a former NASA astronaut, Michael Lòpez-Alegría, and the other three were paying spaceflyers: Larry Connor (the pilot), Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe.
SpaceX used one of its Crew Dragon spacecrafts and a Falcon 9 rocket–the same system they use to launch human missions to the ISS for NASA’s commercial crew program. The four spaceflyers reached the ISS a day later on April 9. They joined 66 other spaceflyers from several other countries, but ran their own independent mission research and exploration. The crew members returned to Earth on April 17th.
Eventually Axiom wants to build its own commercial space station, but will do so gradually–delivering modules beginning in September 2024 and completing it by the end of 2027.
Each of these awe-inspiring and successful moments in space over the past year are more than the sum of their parts. What this means is we are seeing the beginning of a space industry revolution. We play our part in the operational tools realm, and it’s an honor to be right here, right now. We can’t wait to see what this industry achieves in 2023 and beyond.
