By Tn Tech Desk
2025 Space Race: 8 Missions Set To Redefine Exploration, The year 2025 is set to be a landmark for space exploration, with missions spanning from low Earth orbit to deep space. From India’s ambitious Gaganyaan program and NASA-ISRO collaborations to Mars studies and Titan-bound craft, these missions promise scientific breakthroughs, technological milestones, and new international partnerships. ​Gaganyaan-1 & Gaganyaan-2 (ISRO), India’s Gaganyaan missions are the country’s first steps toward sending humans to space. Gaganyaan-1, launching in late 2025, will carry a robot to test life-support systems. Gaganyaan-2, launching earlier, will check important systems. These missions will prepare for India’s first astronaut flight, planned for 2026. ​NISAR (NASA–ISRO), Launching in March 2025, the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite will scan Earth’s surface every 12 days. It will track changes like melting ice, earthquakes, and deforestation. Using two radar types, NISAR will give highly detailed data to help scientists better understand climate change and improve disaster response around the world. , ​SPHEREx (NASA), Launching in April 2025, SPHEREx is an infrared space telescope designed to conduct an all-sky survey. It will study the origins of galaxies, the role of water in star formation, and conditions that led to life. By mapping over 300 million galaxies, it seeks answers about the early Universe. ​Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, ESCAPADE, a twin-satellite Mars mission, will launch in 2025 to study how solar wind affects the planet’s magnetosphere. The mission aims to understand atmospheric loss over time, providing insight into Mars’ climate history. The two small spacecraft will orbit Mars together, delivering crucial data for future planetary studies. ​Starship Test Flights (SpaceX), In 2025, SpaceX will carry out several Starship test flights. Starship is a fully reusable rocket designed for missions to the Moon and Mars. These tests will show how well it can reach orbit, carry cargo, and return safely, supporting NASA’s Artemis program and plans for future space exploration. , ​Artemis II , Launching in April 2026, Artemis II will be NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. A crew of four astronauts will travel around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, testing life support, navigation, and communication systems. This 10-day mission plays a vital role in verifying spacecraft readiness and safety, serving as a key step before the planned Artemis III crewed landing on the lunar surface. ​Axiom Mission 4, Scheduled for June 2025, Axiom Mission 4 will send a private crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. It includes astronauts from India, the U.S., Hungary, and Poland. This mission supports commercial spaceflight and research, preparing for future private space stations and global collaboration. ​Dragonfly (NASA, prep in 2025), NASA’s Dragonfly mission, starting key development in 2025, is planned to launch in 2028. It will send a flying robot to Saturn’s moon Titan to search for signs of life’s building blocks. By flying to different places on Titan, Dragonfly will study its surface and help us understand early Earth-like conditions.