Stargazing and exploration in 2025; a look ahead to the new year in space
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- 2025 is going to be a busy year among the stars. From moon missions to multiple meteor showers, outer space will again be a major topic throughout the year, especially in Texas.
At least 20 maiden flights are scheduled for 2025. Like all space missions, these flights could be delayed or canceled entirely.
Four rockets built in the United States are scheduled, including the New Glenn from Blue Origin and the Neutron built by Rocket Lab.
Firefly Aerospace, based just north of Austin in Cedar Park, will head to the moon early in the year. Blue Ghost I will carry 10 science and technology instruments to the lunar surface in mid-January.
The mission, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), will take 45 days to reach the moon, before landing in Mare Crisium. The crater, located northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis, can be spotted on the far right corner of the moon with the naked eye.
The mission will provide imagery of lunar sunset and provide data for future moon mission, including Artemis II.
Preparations will be underway in 2025 for the next lunar mission, which will bring astronauts back into lunar orbit for the first time since the 1970s. That mission isn't scheduled until 2026.
Humans in space
One of the biggest stories of the year will be the return of stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. The two have been stuck on the International Space Station following issues with the Boeing-made Starliner spacecraft.
The June 5 mission was supposed to last eight days but has since been extended to several months following doubts that the astronauts could return home safely aboard the spacecraft. That return is now scheduled for March 2025.
The pair will return when NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 arrives on the ISS. Crew-11 will also board the space station later in the year.
Meteor showers in 2025
There are several annual meteor showers throughout the year that will provide an excellent show for stargazers.
- Quadrantid Meteor Shower: January 3rd
- Lyrid Meteor Shower: April 21-22
- Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower: May 6-7
- Delta Aquarid: July 28-29
- Draconid Meteor Shower: October 8-9
- Leonid Meteor Shower: November 17-18
All but the Draconid meteor shower will peak at midnight on the respective dates.
Science experiments in space
Several missions will launch this year from NASA that will conduct some really cool experiments.
The first is the SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer). Scheduled for deployment early in 2025, this mission will help scientists put together a 3D map of the universe.
Launching alongside SPHEREx is PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere). This mission will study solar winds.
IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is scheduled to launch later in the year. It will help map the magnetic sphere surrounding the solar system.
Also scheduled to launch later in the year is Sentinel-6B. This mission will monitor global sea levels and continue the mission of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission.