A final flight, signs of Mars life and spaceflight milestones

Pasadena: This past year has been a wild ride for space exploration. From Earth orbit to Mars and even Jupiter’s moons, we’ve hit some amazing milestones in 2024.

Remember when NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars? It brought along a little buddy, the Ingenuity helicopter. This tiny chopper was a test to see if it could fly in Mars’ thin atmosphere. And guess what? It did! Ingenuity not only flew but nailed its first five flights, earning a spot as a scout for Perseverance.

Over nearly three years, Ingenuity completed 72 flights. But on January 18, 2024, things took a turn. During its last flight, it had a rough landing, damaging its rotor blades. NASA officially wrapped up its mission on January 25, but the little helicopter is still taking pictures and gathering data as long as it can.

Now, let’s talk about a rock called Cheyava Falls. Found by Perseverance in July, it’s got scientists buzzing. This rock shows signs that water once flowed through it and even hints at organic compounds. While it’s not proof of life, it’s definitely a clue that has everyone excited.

On the human spaceflight side, the Polaris Dawn mission was a big deal. Led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, the crew spent nearly five days in space, setting records for how far humans have orbited Earth. They even became the first civilians to do a spacewalk, which is a huge step for future space exploration.

And let’s not forget about Jupiter! NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been busy capturing stunning images of its moons. During a recent flyby of Io, it spotted a lava lake that looked “smooth as glass.” This is a first, giving us a close-up look at the most volcanically active place in our solar system.

So, as we look back at 2024, it’s clear that space exploration is reaching new heights. Who knows what other discoveries await us in the cosmos?