From 1969 to 2019 to beyond
Fifty years ago, the world watched in wonder as the Apollo 11 astronauts became the first humans to set foot on another world. To mark the anniversary of humanity’s first steps on the Moon, Encyclopaedia Britannica will start a yearlong journey to examine our past, present, and future in space.
Our mission is to feed the world’s curiosity about space.
We know that what we know may only be the tip of the iceberg. We know that there’s so much more to explore. What lies in space, and why are we so fascinated with it? What can it teach us? Who has the right to explore space? Will private money outspend public money? Will the nations of the world be able to coexist peacefully in space?
From the race to the Moon to space stewardship…
We explore subjects ranging from whether space tourism will become widespread to how spaceflight will be a part of the global economy in the mid-21st century. With the help of our readers, we’ll answer why space interests us so much. What is our fascination with space? Is space a global story of human frontiers? What potential does space hold? Is our future, and maybe even our survival, truly out there? These are some of the questions that will drive SpaceNext50 over the next year.
Space Race: Old and New
What propelled us to look to the Moon? What ignited the inspiration and the dream? What helped us to mobilize in the space race?
Did You Know?
Space starts 62 miles (100 km) above Earth.
Countries planning to send missions to the Moon
People in space right now
Orbiters and rovers currently working around and on Mars
News from Space
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China launches two satellite missions hours apart
A Kuaizhou 1A rocket lifted off from Jiuquan carrying a Jilin Earth observation satellite. Three hours later, a Long March 6 rocket lifted off from Taiyuan carrying five surveillance satellites. View Article
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Kuiper belt object 2014 MU69 renamed Arrokoth
Arrokoth was visited by the New Horizons probe in 2019 and is the farthest object visited by a spacecraft. Arrokoth means “sky” in the Powhatan/Algonquian language. View Article
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Hayabusa2 begins journey back to Earth
The Japanese probe Hayabusa2 began its return to Earth with samples from the asteroid Ryugu. Hayabusa2 will return the samples to Earth in 2020. View Article
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SpaceX does second Starlink launch
SpaceX launched the second group of 60 Starlink satellites. The 60 satellites are part of a planned constellation of more than 10,000 satellites that will provide global Internet. View Article