Pandemic put no limit to space exploration in 2020

By Gokul Bhagabati New Delhi, Dec 21 : If one thing triumphed in 2020 despite all the challenges, it was science. While scientists from around the world worked at a break-neck speed to find a solution to beating Covid-19, the pandemic could not slow down the human pursuit to explore space objects.
This year specially proved to be great for bringing back samples from distant space objects that can significantly augment our understanding of the evolution of the universe.
Chinese scientists achieved a great feat towards the end of the year when its Chang’e-5 probe retrieved about 1,731 gram of samples from the Moon.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in mid-December announced that its Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully brought back samples from asteroid Ryugu.
NASA’s first asteroid sample collection mission, the OSIRIS-REx probe, also completed the most challenging phases of its mission after it successfully stowed samples of asteroid Bennu this year. The spacecraft is targeting delivery of the sample back to Earth in September 2023.
In July, the US space agency also launched the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover which will seek signs of ancient life and collect rock and soil samples for possible return to Earth.