If 2023 is an amazing year Space explorationThis new year is presented as a window towards new opportunities and significant developments.
In the first nine months of last year, 179 were already carried out Space launchesA similar figure was reached throughout 2022; and reached two hundred by the end of the year, making 2023 the year with the highest number of launches in history.
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Over the next 12 months, innovative projects and technologies will see the light of day that will mark a turning point in the way we understand and use space. The introduction of launch solutions, described as revolutionary, will change the way space is accessed and pave the way for more efficient and cost-effective exploration. New players like the German company Isar Aerospace, They plan to build their first flights, thus contributing to the diversification of the space panorama, the democratization of space that we have often talked about.
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Los Satellite constellations will continue Being protagonists in 2024 is redefining the way we use space. Company SpaceX With about 5,000 satellites representing 45 percent of all satellites in orbit, it will continue to expand its presence in space, and hopes that new ones will help boost statistics in space.
Although new space technology offers exciting possibilities Hyperlinking, also presents challenges for the sustainable development of the space environment. A balance between making the most of these technologies and preserving the sustainability of space, with unfettered growth space junk, This will be an important issue in the coming year.
At the geopolitical level, competition between America Y China It will be more intense in space sector. This year the Moon will become an important phase for these forces, guiding parallel projects with the ambition to establish permanent bases in the future.
The United States, with its Artemis program, and China, with the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), are competing in the new moon race. Artemis is currently at the forefront of technological advances and international partnerships, with a long-awaited manned flight around the moon later this year lasting 10 days with four crew members. For its part, China is slated to launch Quequiao 2 communications satellite 4.2 meter diameter satellite dish orbiting the Moon, and Chang'e 6 mission to bring back samples from the far side of the Moon by the end of 2024.
(Also Read: Exploring the Frontiers of Space: Space Missions Planned in 2024)
Meanwhile, Europe, which has lagged somewhat in recent years, is trying to regain its position as a major space power by launching. Ariane 6, The successor to the Ariane 5 rocket, it has been Europe's most deployed rocket for the past 20 years. Ariane 6's launch is crucial for Europe to regain its capability for autonomous access to space, and with its participation in the Artemis program, provides a service module. Nav OrionIt could mark a possible rebirth for the European continent in space exploration.
Europe is also awaiting this project with great anticipation The iris constellationConsisting of a total of 20 satellites, they will be launched into low-orbit orbits at an altitude of about 1,200 kilometers, equipped with high-gain antennas. High speed broadband connection to any part of the continent.
(Also Read: Astronomical Events of 2024: Months for Meteor Showers and Eclipses)
New challenges coupled with the current global environment include addressing key issues in security and defence. The importance of space in modern warfare is evident. An activation Space Act With a special focus on space transportation management, Satellite Internet Security and security of space programs.
With a wide panorama of challenges and opportunities, this new year could define the role of all actors in the 21st century space race. Are we facing a new dawn for space exploration? 2024 will reveal that.
Santiago Vargas
Ph.D. D. in Astrophysics
Astronomical Laboratory of National University
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