2021 could be a huge year for space. Here’s what’s to come from NASA, Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos.

(Washington Post photo by Jonathan Newton)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk celebrates after the historic first launch of astronauts aboard a SpaceX craft in May. (Washington Post photo by Jonathan Newton)

By Christian Davenport,
The Washington Post – 30 December, 2020

We all know that 2020 was a no-good, horrible, fearful, tumultuous year that will be remembered for the coronavirus pandemic and the polarizing election. But for space enthusiasts, it was actually quite a good year, providing bits of promising news amid the bleak headlines of disease, economic hardship and protests.

SpaceX launched astronauts to the International Space Station twice. NASA launched a rover to Mars and snagged a sample from an asteroid 200 million miles away.

2021 has potential for even more good news. Here’s just some of what could happen in the new year …