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Saturn, the sixth planet of the Solar System |
In 2005, humanity made significant strides in understanding the mysteries of the solar system, revealing exciting discoveries that opened vast new horizons for mankind.
Exploration of Saturn
The Cassini spacecraft commenced operations, sending back small “grams” of information from Saturn to Earth. Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, was visited by the Huygens probe earlier this year and began transmitting data in coordination with Cassini, helping to answer the question, “Are there volcanoes and methane rains on Titan’s surface?”
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Iapetus Satellite |
This question is crucial because scientists believe that volcanoes and methane rains are the starting conditions for life. We do not explore Saturn because it is a gas giant, meaning there is no solid ground, but on Titan, Saturn’s moon, scientists believe there are conditions similar to the early Earth.
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Enceladus Satellite |
Cassini also discovered the unusual shape of Saturn’s moon Iapetus, resembling a walnut. By November, the moon Enceladus was also found.
Observing Comets and Other Celestial Bodies
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The collision of the Deep Impact spacecraft with comet Tempel 1 |
Closer to Earth, NASA’s Deep Impact probe collided with comet Tempel 1, creating a cloud of dust and ice. Due to this cloud and the camera not focusing properly, we could not observe the results of the explosion. The collision left a comet tail composed of clay and liquid carbon compounds.
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Image of the Tenth Planet |
Astronomers were also excited by the discovery of a tenth planet in the solar system, larger than Pluto, temporarily named Xena. They later discovered a moon orbiting Xena, named Gabrielle.
This year, the field of astronomy also uncovered a new entity, approximately 70% the size of Pluto. However, it remains unverified who discovered it. This discovery led to a lively debate regarding the criteria for defining a celestial body as a planet.
A lesser-known small celestial body, Apophis, measuring about 300 meters in width, was observed in 2004 to have a 1 in 38 chance of colliding with Earth in 2029. By 2005, with more detailed observations, this timeframe was pushed back to 2034 or later.
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Pluto |
Moving Towards Pluto
Two more moons were discovered orbiting Pluto, which was one of the factors leading NASA to decide to launch the New Horizons probe.
Exploration of Mars
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Image of dust storms in Mars’ atmosphere observed from a satellite |
NASA’s two other probes, Spirit and Opportunity, continued to roam the Martian surface, digging deep into the ground for samples while observing dust storms, meteor showers, and hail on Mars. Technical challenges emerged for these “explorers.” Spirit’s arm is proving difficult to control or move. Nevertheless, they celebrated their second birthday earlier this year.
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express probe finally deployed its MARSIS instrument after months of delays. The spacecraft’s antenna detected signs of water in a Martian crater. Mars Express also found evidence of frozen water on Mars.
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Images sent back by Mars Express |
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched from Florida in August 2005, expected to arrive at the Red Planet in March 2006.
The end of 2005 marked another memorable event regarding Mars, as the whereabouts of the UK’s Beagle 2, which was believed to have landed on Mars during Christmas 2003, was still unknown. In December, new images from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) may reveal the location where Beagle 2 had its accident.
“Failure is the Mother of Success”
In 2005, several smaller space missions also encountered issues. The Cryosat and Cosmos 1 satellites failed to launch due to rocket failure.
A series of setbacks in Japan’s space endeavors occurred; however, Japan continued its space research efforts.
The bad news of 2005 does not predict anything for 2006. Humanity’s journey into space has just begun, and thus, no predictions or assessments can be made about the situation in the new year. The most encouraging news is the return of the space shuttle.
Space remains full of mysteries, a source of immense knowledge for humanity. People always aspire to free themselves from all material conditions and spiritual values, and space is the truest testament to that.
TRẦN HUY (compiled)
