Category Archives: Space Travel

By developing a new, more reliable form of usable energy, the Neutrino Energy Group hopes to do its part in unlocking the mysteries of space and propelling humanity into its rightful place amongst the stars. Led by energy visionary Holger Thorsten Schubart, the Neutrino Energy Group is thrilled to be involved in the development of tomorrow's space travel energy technologies.

Limitations of Current Spacecraft Energy Technologies

Once spacecraft have broken free of the Earth's gravity well, they no longer need the immense propulsive power of chemical rockets to stay aloft. Astronauts must still perform activities while in space, however, and vital functions like life support and lighting must also be supported.

At present, photovoltaic cells (solar panels) are primarily used to provide electrical power to spacecraft while they are in orbit or traveling between celestial bodies. Even though objects in space aren't pulled along by the Earth's diurnal cycle, however, they can't always be positioned in direct sunlight.

Additionally, solar panels take up considerable surface area, and they're constructed using inflexible materials. As a result, impacts from space junk, meteoroids, and other types of moving objects in space commonly impact the operation of solar panels.

Neutrino Energy Holds Infinite Potential

Over the decades, scientists have postulated that neutrinos might serve as a source of energy. It was only in 2015, however, that the mass of neutrinos was theoretically proven, and over the last five years, numerous laboratory experiments have definitively demonstrated that the mass of neutrinos can be converted into electrical energy.

Neutrino-generated electricity is currently held back by its low production capacity. Any reduction of the burden currently placed on solar energy, however, would come as a welcome development to engineers of spacecraft. Over time, neutrinovoltaic devices will become capable of producing increasing amounts of electricity, and they will become reliable sources of energy both in space and down here on Earth.

Unlike photovoltaic cells, neutrinovoltaic devices do not need to be directly exposed to sunlight. They can operate in complete darkness, and they can be placed inside the thick, protective outer hulls of spacecraft.

The Secrets of Space Will Soon Be Uncovered

Having attended the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany, Holger Thorsten Schubart maintains his contacts within the space travel community as he and the Neutrino Energy Group continue developing practical neutrino energy technologies. With the help of neutrinovoltaic technologies, humanity's exploration of the stars will become safer and more rewarding.

Read more:

Neutrino Energy Will Unlock True Potential of Space Travel - I-Connect007

Editor's Note CNN Travel updates this article periodically. It was last updated in its entirety on December 29.

(CNN) If you're planning a trip to Greece, here's what you'll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The basics

Greece reopened to some tourists on June 1, but has been under national lockdown measures since November 7, with strict new quarantine measures in place for all arrivals, including Greek nationals.

What's on offer

Ancient monuments, myriad islands, spectacular beaches and vast mountains. Greece attracts millions of visitors each year looking for a sunny seaside escape, or a history-focused trip exploring its long and storied past.

Its popular resorts are perfect for partying during the summer, but there's plenty of space to get away from the crowds, and outside of summer season you'll often find yourself the only tourist around.

Who can go

Residents from EU+ countries (the 27 member states plus Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and the UK), are allowed into Greece, along with travelers from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

However, until January 7, everyone must quarantine on arrival. See below for details.

Those from other countries are not permitted to travel, unless for essential reasons.

What are the restrictions?

Until January 7, all arrivals must quarantine. Those coming from the UK must quarantine for 10 days. All other permitted travelers must quarantine for three days at their hotel or home.

The QR code will tell you whether you need to have an additional test done at the airport. If you do, you must self-isolate until you have the results -- around 24 hours.

What's the Covid situation?

After a strict lockdown paid off in very low case numbers in the first wave, Greece has seen a rapid rise in cases and deaths since the end of October and has been under full national lockdown since November 7. It has seen a total of 133,000 and 4,402 deaths as of December 29. The government has extended lockdown measures until January 7, with all travel between prefectures banned. You can only go out to shop for essentials and exercise locally, with groups limited to three people. Such trips must be certified by texting the authorities (from a Greek phone number) or providing a note with your name, address and the reason for being outdoors.

A curfew has been in place since November 11. It runs from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with exemptions for those traveling to work, walking pets close to home and for medical reasons.

What can visitors expect?

Cafes, bars and restaurants will remain shut across all of Greece until January 7, meaning there's no chance of sipping a Mythos while watching the sun set over the sparkling Aegean.

Masks are mandatory in public, both indoors and outdoors.

Useful links

Our latest coverage

Joe Minihane and Julia Buckley contributed to this report

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Traveling to Greece during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go - CNN

The home of robotic space exploration is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, which oversees all of Nasas interplanetary missions. JPL also tracks asteroids that pose a threat to Earth, operates satellites that monitor our climate and oceans, and measures the thickness of ice at the poles.

It was through one of these missions that a JPL engineer named Gael Squibb travelled to England in the 1980s. He stayed at my parents B&B in Windsor, after escaping a terrible hotel in Slough, and he quickly became a firm friend of the family.

His later visits came with mission stickers, posters, and stories of remarkable technical feats. Once while I was on assignment in California, Gael arranged for me to visit JPL in Pasadena. JPL does not have a glitzy visitor centre, but it does host full-sized replicas of the two Voyager space probes, which were launched in 1977 to study the outer planets.

The Voyager spacecraft captured my imagination: my favourite childhood book was full of photographs from their fly-by of the ringed planet Saturn; and, aged six, I was allowed to stay up late to watch a programme about Voyager 2 reaching Neptune. In 2012, Voyager became the first man-made object to enter interstellar space, and it is now 14billion miles from Earth.

By following those formidable spacecraft, I felt like I travelled alongside them. My inability to visit Jupiter or Neptune in person did not matter, because the images and stories were so vivid and compelling. Astronomy developed my sense of adventure, and I share that passion with anyone who will listen.

On a recent Army Reserve training exercise, I used a pair of binoculars to show the Galilean moons to the training warrant officer. He could not believe what he saw a mere point of light, revealed to be a whole system of worlds and, the next evening, he borrowed my binoculars to show the same thing to one of the colour sergeants. Inspiration is infectious, and wonder never gets old.

Whenever theres a clear night, youll find me looking up at the ever-changing sky. This week, Ive been captivated by the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, as a trick of orbital mechanics made them appear to touch in the firmament.

I may never visit those planets in person, but Ill never get bored of enjoying them from afar. This year, I have had to do the same thing for my own world. Instead of jumping on planes and trains, I have buried myself in travel books and documentaries. I will not pretend that I prefer it, but vicarious travel provides something unique because it forces me to see the world through another persons eyes.

Of course, I will return to travel when I can, but Im loving my rediscovered passion for remote observation. Over the past few months, Ive been saving up to buy myself a telescope. That way, I can pull those planets just a little bit closer, and be transported to those worlds of wonder and possibility.

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What astronomy can teach us about the wonder of vicarious travel - Telegraph.co.uk

The ISS (International Space Station) is home to many wonderful astronauts, but now its also home to James Doohan of Star Trek fame.

James Doohan is most known for playing Montgomery Scotty Scott in the original Star Trek series from the 1960s. Now, however, the former real-life World War II vet hes also going to be known as the first Star Trek cast member ever on the ISS. Even though Doohan passed away in 2005, his legacy is still persisting in a way thats taken him to the stars, because his ashes are now onboard the ISS (International Space Station).

The Times of London (via the Verge) reported this nugget and revealed that while most are just finding out about Doohans post-mortem trip, even though it happened 12 years ago. How did it happen though? Well, Richard Garriott was a private citizen who traveled to space and wanted to bring the ashes of Doohan with him but was denied. So he instead brought some of them, along with a lamented picture, and smuggled Doohan on board, hiding him under the floor of the USS Columbus, the ISSs module. No one knew until the article came out.

It was completely clandestine, Garriott told the Times. His family were very pleased that the ashes made it up there but we were all disappointed we didnt get to talk about it publicly for so long. Now enough time has passed that we can,

This isnt Doohans first trip in space either. His ashes were taken up in 2012 aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. According to the Times, his ashes have traveled an estimated 1.7 billion miles across space, and have orbited the Earth more than 70,000 times.

A touching tribute to a man who inspired so many to reach for the stars. The original cast of Star Trek came around right as the United States was starting to test the dream of space travel, and landing on the moon. For an entire generation of astronauts, it was the crew of the Enterprise who inspired them to travel to the stars. So its only fitting that they return the favor.

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Star Trek actor James Doohan has his ashes at the ISS - Redshirts Always Die

Missy Holland, like most Vermonters, has been spending time at home in Bristol during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating the world of virtual interaction over Zoom and finding time to walk with friends (physically distanced and masked, of course).

A retired higher education administrator and a trustee of the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh, Holland has called Vermont her home for the past 10 years, although she still travels to New York City, where she also has a home. Her interest in being interviewed for this project on the COVID-19 pandemic stems from wanting to help students complete projects, and I want to thank Holland for taking time to discuss her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watch the full interview online with this COVID Science package clicking on the video below.

We began by talking about changes in her daily life, of which the biggest impact for Holland has been the loss of spontaneity. She notes how you cant just go do something without considering where you are going, and that everything has to be plotted out, such as having a mask with you. She has also had to navigate virtual board meetings over Zoom, which has been a change, as well as travel between New York and Vermont. She recalled that on a recent trip back from New York, she took back roads, and it was nice being in places (she) had never been before at a time when new experiences are exceedingly limited.

Overall, Holland pointed to how quality of life has changed as a result of the pandemic.

Perhaps one of the biggest impacts in her life has been not being able to spend time with family, Holland said. She told me how the closing of the Canadian border serves as a physical barrier in that she is not able to visit her son and his wife in Toronto. She usually travels in the spring to visit them but was unable to do so this year. Fortunately, her son was able to visit her this summer as he maintains dual citizenship.

Yet it still has been difficult, and family time is different. The large family gatherings, which Holland told me happen over long weekends such as Fourth of July during the summer, were not possible. Despite not being able to see loved ones, she is thankful that her family has maintained good health through the pandemic.

We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living in Addison County during a global pandemic. Holland points to Vermonts strong leadership directed by science that has offered clarity and guidance throughout the pandemic as the main advantage. She also emphasizes that having a smaller population, there is more space for people to spread out, which is certainly the case in Addison County. This space has allowed Holland to go on walks with her friends and feel safe, contrary to her experience in New York City.

At the same time, having space and living amongst a small population does have its disadvantages, and is particularly isolating. In New York, Holland described how she has gone to museums and that there is generally more to do there than in Vermont.

One of the more contested debates during the summer was that of reopening local schools and colleges, and Holland shared her perspective. She said she has great admiration for the work the private and public institutions have done. She also shared how important it was to bring students back into elementary schools, as in-person education is critical for child development. It was not as critical for high school and college students to return given that they could learn virtually, she added.

Hollands biggest concern was regarding colleges, especially the travel of students coming back and forth from potential high-risk areas with many COVID-19 cases. Despite all that has been done in education this fall to continue teaching students, Holland acknowledges that there probably have been compromises in the quality of education.

In the video conversation, we also discussed the COVID-19 vaccine and the vaccine development process. Holland told me that if Dr. Fauci takes it, I will take it, and that the possibility of former presidents receiving the vaccine publicly may help in convincing those on the fence to get the vaccine. Despite her plan to get vaccinated, Holland said she is concerned about the process of developing the vaccine, especially with regard to the expedited process and monetary conflicts of interest of pharmaceutical companies. When we talked she wanted to make sure that all the protocols for getting the vaccine approved are strictly followed before vaccinations begin.

At the end of the interview, Holland shifted gears to talk about her involvement at the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh, which was a stop on the Underground Railroad during the 19th century. Holland describes how the museum has incorporated advocacy into its platform in recent years in order to highlight social injustice. Although Rokeby had to close down briefly during the pandemic, one board member who is a doctor wrote an essay that was published on the VTDigger.org on how COVID-19 disproportionately has been affecting people of color. The essay, among other work at Rokeby, has been about connecting history with the present as a way to emphasize racial injustice and the ramifications of history. Upon reflecting on the last nine months, Holland has come to the idea that this world belongs to the (younger generation) now, especially considering how young people have been involved in social movements such as fighting for racial justice.

Holland also looks toward the future in thinking about her grandchildren, and what they will remember of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite all that has transpired since March, she is fortunate to be in good health, and looks forward to getting back to the spontaneous aspect to life in the near future.

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Bristol's Missy Holland offers a picture of the pandemic we can relate to (video) - Addison County Independent

More than half a century ago, director Stanley Kubrick, alongside futuristic writer Arthur C. Clark set out to make, a good science fiction cinematic experience. The resulting film,2001: A Space Odyssey,premiered in spring 1968 (nearly a year before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon) is a landmark moment in the history fo cinema and one that has influenced sci-fi filmmakers for generations including the likes of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan.Nolan, in an interview with the Stanley Kubrick Appreciation Society, said, [2001] is in dialogue with our ideas of the future.

The influence of2001: A Space Odysseyon subsequent sci-fi technology and special effects has been pervasive. The film won an Oscar for its pioneering special effects and has been called a quantum leap in technological advancements by film criticJames Verneire. However the concurrent artistic and philosophical bravura of the film is unparalleled. Never before or after has a film on space engaged in such immersive visual dialogues on the philosophy of humanitys evolution and the philosophy of technological advancement. Unlike Kubricks 1964 nuclear satireDr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb,2001:A Space Odysseyrestrained its use of humour to one hidden intentional joke which stopped the comic element of an otherwise ambiguous film from flushing down the toilet.

The virtuosity of Kubrick is indeed in infusing the scientific with the enigmatic. The subliminal transcendence of the trajectory of 2001 can be akin to a psychedelic hallucinogen ingestion induced epiphany or Scientological epiphany depending on the viewers biases. At the time of its premiere in 1968, Renata Adler in the Times described the movie as somewhere between hypnotic and immensely boring.

Indeed one of the biggest philosophical easter eggs hidden within2001:A Space Odysseyis the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The film opens to Richard Strausss evocative tone poem, Also Sprach Zarathustra based on Nietzsches, Thus spoke Zarathustra, with the visual the sun, moon and earth aligning in the symbolism of Zoroastrianism, based in the teaching of Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra).

2001s divergence from quintessential sci-fi music is reiterated with Johann Strauss The Blue Danube playing to the docking of the space shuttle. The films divergence from the staple is future exacerbated by exiguous verbal sound in the film. While most cinematic pictures rely on dialogues to reveal plotlines, Kubrick intended 2001 to be a visual experience, mostly devoid of verbiage. In 1970, Kubrick explained that the movie was basically a visual, non-verbal experience. It avoids intellectual verbalisation and reaches the viewers subconscious in a way that is essentially poetic and philosophical.

Kubrick further added, I think that 2001, like music, succeeds in short-circuiting the rigid surface cultural blocks that shackle our consciousness to narrowly limited areas of experience and is able to cut directly through to areas of emotional comprehension.

2001 exemplifies Hitchcocks dictum not to tell what you can show. The narrative of the film unfolds in four movements:

The Dawn Of Man

The initial Dawn of Man segment opens with the eponymous landscape shots of dawn in prehistoric earth. A tribe of apes in a Darwinian struggle for survival engage in territorial battle over a watering hole with another tribe of apes only to be defeated. The former tribe of humanoid primates encounter a mysterious black monolith. The monolith accelerates their enlightenment, as one of the Apes figures out the use of bones as weapons and kills a tapir, turning the pirates into carnivores. The tribe deploys their newfound weapon in a battle against the opposing tribe and kills the leader of the opposing tribe.

In triumphant jubilation akin to a footballers celebratory high five, the ape-man flings the bone in the air. In one of most iconic jump-cuts in cinematic history, the bone in the air transforms into what is presumably a space satellite, propelling the timeline of the narrative forward by four million years. According to Clark, the Space Satellite is supposed to be an orbiting space bomb, a weapon in space. Thus the transition from the Pleistocene era to space-age is tethered by the notion that human evolution is concurrent with the evolution of bigger and better ways of destruction.

The Floyd Segment

This segment introduces Dr Heywood Floyd (William Sylvester) en-route to a space station and onwards to Clavius, a lunar settlement. Replete with technological advancements such as artificial gravity, zero-gravity toilets, voiceprint recognition, video payphones, corporatisation of space travel (did someone say Elon Musk?) Clarke and Kubricks futuristic predictions are of near Nostradamus proportions of accuracy if not wholly infallible and a tad over-optimistic.

The banality of dialogues between Floyd and his Russian counterparts is interspersed with the parody of a full page of instructions to use a zero-gravity toilet. The narrative progresses with the revelation of the discovery of a monolith, now identified as TMA-1 or Tycho Magnetic Anomaly, buried under the lunar surface which emits a signal to Jupiter.

The fearful reverence of the apes is replaced by the arrogance of man as the astronauts try to take a picture in front of the monolith. Under instructions from the National Council of Astronautics, Floyd prohibits his colleagues from disclosing the news of the TMA-1.

The Jupiter Mission

Fast forward 18 months Dr Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood)) and Dr David Bowman (Keir Dullea) are aboard a spacecraft, Discovery 1, on an expedition to Jupiter along with three other astronauts in hibernation and a H.A.L 9000 (voiced by Douglas Rain) supercomputer that talks in a Canadian accent.

In a fastidious sub-plot, the question of the sentience of the machine is evoked when H.A.L who proclaimed to be foolproof and incapable of error misdiagnoses a fault in AE-35 unit and Poole and Bowman discuss disconnecting HALs primary brain functions. HAL goes ape-shit crazy (Remember the primate with bone?) and kills the entire crew except for Dave, who manages to disconnect HAL. The supercomputer is acutely humane in his last moments as it says, I am afraid Dave, my mind is going, I can feel it.

Jupiter and Beyond the infinite

Perhaps the most baffling part of the movie is its ending, which is more evocative than instructive. A third monolith suspended in Jupiters atmosphere propels Dave in a space pod through a kaleidoscopic, psychedelic plethora of colours and shapes, popularly known as the Stargate sequence.

Kubricks special effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull used a pioneering slit-scan technique to achieve the impressionistic psychedelic effect, a feat which will be replicated decades later by CGI. Dave is transported into a neo-classical French style room, and in an anachronistic time wrap the film rapidly shifts perspective from young Dave to an older Dave and finally, a bedridden Dave, who reaches towards the monolith in action oddly reminiscent of Adam reaching out to God in Michaelangelos fresco in the Sistine chapel, only to be transformed into a foetal Star child.

The film ends in a shroud of ambiguity with the star child floating in space near earth. However, Kubrick, unperturbed by the annals of audience restlessness to the pervasiveness of ambiguity in 2001 said in aninterview with Joseph Gelmis: Once youre dealing on a nonverbal level, ambiguity is unavoidable. But its the ambiguity of all art, of a fine piece of music or a paintingyou dont need written instructions by the composer or painter accompanying such works to explain them.

Perhaps, thus the zero-gravity toilet instructionis the only intentional joke in the film. In a scene aboard the space station, Floyd is seen peering at a detailed and convoluted instruction manual on the use of the zero-gravity toilet. Kubricks disdain of instructions for the understanding of the film highlights the irony of a page long instructions from the zero-gravity toilets. In an interview, Kubricks explained the zero-gravity toilet was the only intentional joke in the film. That evolution and technological advancement would lead to convoluting of tending to basic human needs is well worth a snigger. Despite its ambiguity, Kubrick doesnt want to spell out a verbal roadmap for 2001. Kubricks film doesnt come with an instruction manual, but the zero-gravity toilet does.

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Breaking down the one joke Stanley Kubrick hid within 2001: A Space Odyssey - Far Out Magazine

We dont have to remind readers of the ways that 2020 has been dispiriting, but theres been some good news. The Covid vaccine rollout is a tribute to American ingenuity, and then theres the remarkable success of the SpaceX rocket launches.

The latter have become so routine that they barely make the news. On Saturday the company lit the fuse on one of its 229-foot Falcon 9 rockets, which put into orbit a U.S. spy satellite. It was SpaceXs 26th launch of 2020.

The part that looks surreal is when the Falcon 9s first stage plummets back to Earth, fires its engines to arrest its fall, and then sticks an upright landing. Saturdays rocket was launched from Floridas Kennedy Space Center. Eight minutes later, the first stage touched down on a landing pad at nearby Cape Canaveral. If youve never seen the feat, check out the footage online.

The repeat landings are a technical and economic achievement since they lower the cost of access to orbit. The Falcon 9 booster on Saturday was completing its fifth mission. This was SpaceXs 70th successful recovery, and in November a booster was used for a seventh time. SpaceX says one might eventually fly 10 missions without a major refurbishing. The company is aiming at a 24-hour turnaround from landing to relaunch. For almost a decade after the final Space Shuttle flight in 2011, Americans had to hitch a ride to the International Space Station on Russian craft. Now they can take the Falcon 9.

Space exploration is risky, and two weeks ago a prototype of SpaceXs Starship, a 160-foot silvery rocket that founder Elon Musk wants to send to Mars, was meant to gently land during a test. Instead it came down too fast and exploded in a fireball. But Mr. Musk wasnt fazed, at least on Twitter : We got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!!

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The Year in Space Travel - The Wall Street Journal

HAMBURG, Germany, Dec. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --By developing a new, more reliable form of usable energy, the Neutrino Energy Grouphopes to do its part in unlocking the mysteries of space and propelling humanity into its rightful place amongst the stars. Led by energy visionary Holger Thorsten Schubart, the Neutrino Energy Group is thrilled to be involved in the development of tomorrow's space travel energy technologies.

Limitations of Current Spacecraft Energy Technologies

Once spacecraft have broken free of the Earth's gravity well, they no longer need the immense propulsive power of chemical rockets to stay aloft. Astronauts must still perform activities while in space, however, and vital functions like life support and lighting must also be supported.

At present, photovoltaic cells (solar panels) are primarily used to provide electrical power to spacecraft while they are in orbit or traveling between celestial bodies. Even though objects in space aren't pulled along by the Earth's diurnal cycle, however, they can't always be positioned in direct sunlight.

Additionally, solar panels take up considerable surface area, and they're constructed using inflexible materials. As a result, impacts from space junk, meteoroids, and other types of moving objects in space commonly impact the operation of solar panels.

Neutrino Energy Holds Infinite Potential

Over the decades, scientists have postulated that neutrinos might serve as a source of energy. It was only in 2015, however, that the mass of neutrinos was theoretically proven, and over the last five years, numerous laboratory experiments have definitively demonstrated that the mass of neutrinos can be converted into electrical energy.

Neutrino-generated electricity is currently held back by its low production capacity. Any reduction of the burden currently placed on solar energy, however, would come as a welcome development to engineers of spacecraft. Over time, neutrinovoltaic devices will become capable of producing increasing amounts of electricity, and they will become reliable sources of energy both in space and down here on Earth.

Unlike photovoltaic cells, neutrinovoltaic devices do not need to be directly exposed to sunlight. They can operate in complete darkness, and they can be placed inside the thick, protective outer hulls of spacecraft.

The Secrets of Space Will Soon Be Uncovered

Having attended the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany, Holger Thorsten Schubart maintains his contacts within the space travel community as he and the Neutrino Energy Group continue developing practical neutrino energy technologies. With the help of neutrinovoltaic technologies, humanity's exploration of the stars will become safer and more rewarding.

Neutrino Deutschland GmbHUnterden Linden 2110117 BerlinTel.: +493020924013Email:[emailprotected]

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neutrino-energy-will-unlock-the.jpg Neutrino Energy Will Unlock the True Potential of Space Travel Neutrino Energy Will Unlock the True Potential of Space Travel

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Neutrino Energy Will Unlock the True Potential of Space Travel - PRNewswire

From Martian rover landings to the launch of Hubble's "successor," here are some of the most exciting space missions pegged for next year.

image: NASA JPL Caltech

Space agencies around the globe have a number of pioneering missions planned for 2021. Interestingly, next year is set to feature not one but two highly anticipated Martian rover landings including NASA's Perseverance mission. On the heels of China's recent successful Chang'e-5 lunar mission, the nation will also attempt to land a rover on Mars in the months ahead. Below, we've curated a roundup of some of the standout missions pegged for 2021.

SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download (TechRepublic Premium)

Image: NASA

On July 30, 2020, the Mars 2020 Mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station en route to Mars with the Perseverance rover onboard. On Feb. 18, 2021, after millions of miles of space travel, the craft is set to land on the Red Planet. The "car-sized" Perseverance rover stands 7-feet tall, approximately 10 feet in total length, 9-feet wide, and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. Perseverance builds on previous NASA Martian rover missions will use instrumentation to continue the search for ancient microbial life as well as help plan for future human missions to Mars.

SEE: NASA's Mars 2020 Rover: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)

Image: NASA

On July 23, 2020, the Chinese Tianwen 1 mission successfully launched en route to the Red Planet with an orbiter, lander, and rover in tow. After months of travel, the craft is set to arrive at Mars in February 2021. The craft will first orbit the planet using onboard cameras to pinpoint potential landing areas. Once a site has been determined, the rover and lander will separate from the craft and attempt to land on Mars. At the moment, this landing is scheduled for April 2021, per NASA.

Image: Intuitive Machines

NASA's Artemis program is set to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in decades, including the first woman to walk on the moon in 2024. In preparation for future manned lunar exploration efforts, the Intuitive Machines 1 (IM-1) mission is set to launch to the moon on Oct. 11, 2021. The lander (Nova-C) is a "tall hexagonal cylinder," which will carry five NASA payloads as well as commercial cargo, according to the space agency.

SEE: NASA to build lunar 4G network (TechRepublic)

Image: Soutwest Research Institute

On Oct. 16, 2021, NASA's Lucy mission is scheduled to launch as part of a journey that will include flybys of seven asteroids. The mission's objectives are designed to help scientists understand the formation of the early solar system including the accretion of giant planets, the "sources of primordial organic matter," and more, per NASA. Based on the current launch timeline, Lucy could first fly by asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson in April of 2025.

Image: NASA/Desiree Stover

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is scheduled to launch on Oct. 31, 2021. NASA has described JWST as the "successor" to the Hubble Telescope, however, Webb uses a primary mirror that is 6.5 meters in diameter and touts a collection area that is approximately 6.25 times larger than Hubble's, according to NASA. Webb analyzes the universe primarily in infrared and the longer wavelength coverage allows Webb to "hunt for the unobserved formation of the first galaxies" and peer inside of "dust clouds where stars and planetary systems are forming today," according to the space agency.

SEE:OSIRIS-REx mission's project scientist details "greedy" asteroid sampling, challenges, and more(TechRepublic)

An illustration of the NEA Scout spacecraft and its solar sail.

Image: NASA

NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations Program was established in 1998. In the decades since, NASA has identified thousands of near-Earth objects (NEOs). In fact, the space agency estimates that "an average of 30 new discoveries are added each week." While most NEOs entering the Earth's atmosphere will disintegrate before reaching the surface, larger objects could potentially "cause widespread damage in and around their impact sites," per NASA.

The Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) mission is scheduled to launch in late 2021. The missions will use a 6U CubeSat to fly by Near-Earth Asteroid 1991 VG to collect images as well as observe the object's shape, debris field, morphology, and more. NASA estimates that the mission will take little more than two years.

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6 space missions to look forward to in 2021 - TechRepublic

Lockheed Martin Corp. is expanding its foray into futuristic space travel and missile defense by acquiring supplier Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc. in a deal valued at $4.4 billion, targeting higher sales and more savings in an environment of tightening defense budgets.

Aerojet is a supplier to Lockheed, including its Lockheed Martins Grand Prairie-based Missiles and Fire Control division and its F-35 assembly facility in Fort Worth.

As part of the transaction, Aerojet declared a $5 per share special dividend to be paid on March 24 to holders of record as of March 10. The payment of that special dividend will adjust the $56 per share consideration to be paid by Lockheed Martin, according to a statement Sunday.

At $51, Lockheed will be buying Aerojet at a 21% premium from the closing price on Friday. Lockheed chief executive officer Jim Taiclet stepped into the top job this year with a reputation as a dealmaker and a stockpile of cash. With Aerojet, he is picking up a key U.S. supplier of propulsion systems for missiles, rockets and other space and defense applications.

Still, the consolidation is likely to face scrutiny from key customers such as the U.S. Defense Department and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Another question mark is the reaction of competitors such as Boeing Co. and Raytheon Technologies Corp. that rely on Aerojets motors for their own hypersonics and missile products.

Its not clear how defense and antitrust officials will view this deal, especially in a new administration, but we could imagine pushback from others in industry, such as Raytheon or Boeing, Seth Seifman, an analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co., said in a note to customers.

Aerojet soared almost 24% to $52.10 in afternoon trading in New York after surging as much as 26%, the most intraday since 2009. Lockheed fell almost 6% to $349.99. Aerojet has declined 7.9% this year through Dec. 18 while Lockheed dropped 8.6%. A Standard & Poors index of U.S. aerospace and defense companies tumbled 18% over the same period.

Lockheed has been scouting for acquisitions. In January, the company said it was flush with cash and open to deals as Raytheon Co. prepared to combine with United Technologies Corp. to create a powerhouse in aerospace and defense.

During Lockheeds October earnings call, Taiclet said the company would be active but very, very prudent in its drive to bring in the technologies faster into the company that we think are going to be crucial for the future.

The Aerojet transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021 after getting regulatory approvals and a nod from Aerojets shareholders.

Lockheeds space division is its third-largest business, contributing 18% of its 2019 revenue. The company competes with Elon Musks Space Exploration Technologies Corp. for U.S. government rocket launches through the United Launch Alliance, its joint venture with Boeing.

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Lockheed to boost space expansion with $4.4 billion Aerojet deal - The Dallas Morning News