Key Events to Watch in the Upcoming Year
The upcoming year is poised to bring significant advancements and missions across various fields, including space exploration, gene therapy, and artificial intelligence. Here are the key events to watch in 2024.
Space Exploration Missions
NASA’s Artemis II Mission
NASA will launch Artemis II, marking the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. Four astronauts will orbit the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. This ten-day flight aims to prepare for future lunar landings.
China’s Chang’e-7 Lunar Mission
Scheduled for August 2024, China’s Chang’e-7 mission will deploy a hopper spacecraft to the Moon’s south pole. This area is known for its challenging terrain. The mission seeks to locate water ice and investigate moonquakes.
India’s Aditya-L1 Spacecraft
India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft will observe solar activity during its peak phase. Positioned approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, it has been studying the Sun since its launch in 2023, helping researchers understand solar phenomena better.
Advancements in Artificial Intelligence
The use of artificial intelligence is projected to grow significantly. Researchers expect AI agents to handle more complex tasks with minimal human intervention. However, the risk of errors, such as data deletion, remains a concern.
Gene Therapy Innovations
Clinical Trials for Rare Genetic Disorders
Next year, two clinical trials are anticipated to begin in the U.S., focusing on personalized gene therapies for children with rare genetic disorders. These efforts build on previous success with CRISPR technology used on KJ Muldoon, a baby boy with a metabolic disorder.
Healthcare and Clinical Trials
UK Blood Test for Early Cancer Detection
A major clinical trial in the UK is set to report results for a blood test that can diagnose around 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear. Involving over 140,000 participants, its success could lead to widespread implementation across hospitals.
Regulatory Changes in Clinical Trials
In April 2024, the UK will implement its most significant regulatory updates to clinical trials in 20 years. These changes aim to simplify ethics approval and enhance participant diversity while expediting access to new treatments.
Future Missions to Mars
Japan’s Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)
Japan’s MMX mission, scheduled for launch, plans to explore Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos. The spacecraft will collect surface samples from Phobos and return to Earth by 2031.
European Space Agency’s PLATO Satellite
The European Space Agency is preparing to launch PLATO, a planet-hunting satellite equipped with 26 cameras. It aims to identify Earth-like planets capable of supporting liquid water by monitoring over 200,000 bright stars.
Oceanic Research
China’s Ocean-Drilling Expedition
China’s ocean-drilling ship, Meng Xiang, will embark on its inaugural scientific expedition. This vessel is designed to drill up to 11 kilometers into the ocean crust to study tectonic activity and the formation of the ocean floor.
As 2024 unfolds, these key events promise to drive significant progress in science and exploration, impacting healthcare, space travel, and artificial intelligence development worldwide.
