Sentinel‑1D lifted off aboard Ariane 6 from French Guiana, marking a milestone for the Copernicus programme. The radar satellite joins Sentinel‑1C to secure continuity of Earth observation, strengthening maritime tracking, climate monitoring, and disaster response as part of ESA’s radar constellation.

NASA’s exoplanet count has reached 6,000, marking a major leap in the search for life beyond Earth. With thousands more awaiting confirmation, global teams are uncovering distant planets and decoding their atmospheres. This milestone reshapes our understanding of the galaxy.

In 2025, the James Webb Space Telescope captured a faint new moon orbiting Uranus, marking a major leap in outer solar system exploration. Detected through infrared imaging, S/2025 U1 adds to the planet’s complex ring-moon system and hints at more secrets waiting to be uncovered.

2025 witnessed a transformative era in lunar exploration as commercial missions pushed boundaries and redefined resource utilization. ispace’s ambitious venture demonstrated cutting-edge technology and spurred a new chapter in space innovation, reinforcing humanity’s drive toward a sustainable lunar future.

Focused on advancing our understanding of forest carbon dynamics, the Biomass Mission is expected to unlock crucial insights into carbon storage and forest health—data that could eventually refine climate models and shape future environmental strategies.

Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 and Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 missions marked major milestones in commercial lunar exploration. Firefly Aerospace achieved the first successful commercial Moon landing, while Intuitive Machines set new records despite facing challenges.

In 2024, space exploration soared with groundbreaking events that expanded humanity's cosmic understanding. Reusable rockets, lunar samples, and solar missions showcased technological progress and advanced our dreams of space colonization. Here are the top 10 events that made 2024 a landmark year.