2023: A Stellar Year in Space

In 2023, significant advancements were made in space exploration, including SpaceX's progress with the Starship program and NASA's successful Osiris-Rex mission that collected the largest asteroid sample ever received on Earth. India became the fourth country to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole, joining the US, Russia, and China. Water ice on the moon's surface became a focus of interest for future human presence. NASA also announced the crew members for the Artemis II mission, scheduled for late 2024, and the James Webb Space Telescope provided unprecedented views of distant galaxies, stars, and black holes.