Heres your 2024 calendar.
Before that happens, however, theres a trove of robotic missions we can look forward to.
These payloads are part of NASAsCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
A view of the Moon and Earth as taken from NASA’s Orion spacecraft. A similar mission around the Moon could take place in late 2024, but with four astronauts on board.Photo: NASA
The lander is expected to operate for one lunar day, roughly equivalent to about 14 Earth days.
The lander should be able to perform a decent amount of exploration and data gathering during this period.
The mission involves the U.S. companys Astrobotics Peregrine Lunar Lander, which was selected through NASAs CLPS program.
Artistic depiction of. the IM-1 lunar lander from Intuitive Machines.Image: Intuitive Machines
Thelanders many payloadsinclude theLaser Retroreflector Arrayfor precision distance measurements and theNeutron Spectrometer Systemfor regolith composition analysis.
in the first month of year, this one a public lander operated by Japan.
Should it succeed, Japan will become just the fifth nation to successfully land a probe on the Moon.
Artistic depiction of the Vertex lunar rover.Image: Johns Hopkins APL/Lunar Outpost/Ben Smith
This mission, showcasing advanced landing technology, is meant to pave the way for more ambitious missions.
SLIM, measuring 8.8 feet long, also carries two miniprobes for on-site photography and communications.
The mission aims to understand lunar water distribution and potential resource utilization for future exploration.
Rendering of Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander .Image: Firefly Aerospace
The data gathered will enhance lunar knowledge and provide insights into space weather effects on Earth.
NASAs Artemis 2 mission
Its not just robots headed to the Moon.
The much-anticipated Artemis 2 mission could happen as early as November.
Artemis 2 NASA astronauts (left to right) Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.Photo: NASA
Mission 2 incorporates improvements in software, landing simulation, and sensor testing to avoid Mission 1s landing failure.
It will carry five payloads, including scientific equipment and a commemorative plate.
Manufacturing and assembly are underway in Japan, with a planned Falcon 9 launch.
Depiction of Dream Chaser during reentry.Image: Sierra Space
This year will see a slate of fresh tests and inaugural launches.
Featuring wings and a lifting body design,Dream Chaserwill launch aboard a rocket but land on conventional runways.
Arecent launch rehearsal went well, but more tests are pending ahead of its maiden voyage.
Ariane 6 fires its engines during a recent test.Photo: 4266512e38b9bed7455c6eea74974163
New Glenn is important for Blue Origin mainly because it marks a significant step up in its capabilities.
Its primary objective is to collect and return the first samples from Phobos, the largest moon of Mars.
The spacecraft, built to withstand intense radiation,will enter a wide orbit around Jupiter in 2030.
Depiction of New Glenn during launch.Image: Blue Origin
Thats a lot, and this is just a partial listlots of smaller missions are also planned in 2024.
For more spaceflight in your life, follow us onX(formerly Twitter) and bookmark Gizmodos dedicatedSpaceflight page.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
Depiction of Europa Clipper.Image: NASA
