SCIENCE LAB SPECIAL : SPACE 2025

 

'' An exciting year ahead in space'' : Our species called the most recent 366-day journey around the sun ''2024'' and packed it into a ton of astronomical and space-flight excitement :

Another billionaire in the arena : Through SpaceX, Elon Musk has dominated spaceflight around the planet in recent years. But the extraplanetary ambitions of the American founder Jeff Bezos could present a challenge to Mr. Musk soon.

The space company started by Mr. Bezos, Blue Origin, has a powerful rocket called New Glenn that may at last get off the ground in 2025.

Like Space X's Falcon 9, the booster stage is designed to be fully reusable so it can fly again and again and reduce the cost of launches. The rocket could launch national security satellites for the U.S. military and spacecraft for NASA, including orbiters to Mars and moon landers.

Another thing New Glenn will carry is satellites for Amazon, where Bezos is till executive chair.  The company's project Kuiper involves plans to build a mega-constellation of satellites beaming Internet down from space, in competition with SpaceX's Starlink constellation.

Amazon also plans to launch Kuiper satellites using rockets from many of Blue Origin's competitors, including United Launch Alliance,  Arianespace of France and even Space X.

The World Students Society thanks Michael Roston and Katrina Miller.