2025 was a breakthrough year for space exploration, marked by heavy-lift rocket debuts, commercial lunar landings, the discovery of a new interstellar visitor, and major advances in planetary science. Blue Origin’s New Glenn finally reached orbit and later launched NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars. Commercial Moon deliveries accelerated, China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, and astronomers confirmed a gas giant orbiting Alpha Centauri A thanks to JWST. At the same time, satellite mega-constellations raised concerns about dark-sky protection, with studies showing severe impacts on space-based astronomy. In Australia, Gilmour Space made the nation’s first attempt at an orbital rocket launch, signalling the beginning of genuine sovereign launch capability. For Outback Astronomy guests, these stories connect directly with how we understand our night sky and the future of responsible space activity.
As 2025 wraps up, it’s clear this year delivered some of the most significant space highlights in recent memory. Heavy-lift rockets flew, new missions launched and discoveries reshaped how we view our Solar System.
Heavy-lift rockets had their long-awaited debuts, new missions headed for the Moon and Mars, a new interstellar visitor flashed through the Solar System, and the battle to protect dark skies from satellite light became very real.
Here is a look back at the top global space stories of 2025, followed by Australia’s biggest space moments, and finally a shortlist of Australian space programs to watch after 2025.
This is all from our perspective here at Outback Astronomy, remembering that as we view the dark sky, we also reflect upon human history, contemporary science and future possibilities.
Before getting to our view of the global top news of the year, here is our top, top pick of news from the year. It relates to science from James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
This year, NASA reported the bright star Alpha Centauri A is likely the home star of a gas giant planet.
JWST observations provided the evidence.
We have been sharing information about confirmed planets in the Alpha Centauri system for more than 10 years. It’s our closest visible star and the inspiration for art, literature and film.
There are three planets known to orbit Proxima Centauri – the red dwarf star – that is technically identified as the closest star to our Sun. We just cannot see this small, dim star against the brightness of the larger and brighter stars in the system, known as Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B.
Some readers might recall (if this was included in your stargazing program on the evening) how we split the A and B stars in a telescope.
We may have added in our commentary that they have been devoid of planet potential – until this news in August 2025. The A and B stars are both difficult to view for planets due to their brightnesses. Until the JWST provided some evidence this year, no planets were known about Alpha Centauri A.
This is big news for space lovers and stargazers alike. Even though it is a gas giant, it is orbiting in Alpha Centauri’s habitable zone. This is the area where the temperature is not too hot and not too cold, also the likely zone where planets can have water on their surface. However, as this planet is a gas giant, there is no “surface”. It is a fiery, hot ball of plasma with no chance of any water pooling. Therefore, it is not suitable for supporting life as we know it.
But the implications are the big news. A planet has been confirmed in orbit about a Sun-like star. That’s also what we like about this. That means as planet hunting methods and associated technology improves, the potential for finding a rocky Earth 2.0, in our part of the galactic neighbourhood also improves.
During upcoming stargazing events, as we ponder other Sun-like stars, we will be sure to point out this significant achievement – and link it to the efforts of many of the greats in astronomy and their work that goes back many decades.
Well done JWST.
Now for our view of the top global achievements.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket achieved orbit on its maiden flight on 16 January 2025, lifting off from Cape Canaveral and successfully placing its payload into orbit. This was a critical milestone for a rocket that has been in development for over a decade.
Later in the year,13 November, New Glenn flew NG-2, its second mission, launching NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars on 13 November 2025. ESCAPADE stands for Escape and Plasma Acceleration Dynamics Explorers (and NG stands for New Glenn). It is a mission that consists of two small orbiters that will study how the solar wind strips the Martian atmosphere and it is the first interplanetary payload to ride on New Glenn.
Why it matters: New Glenn joins Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy as a major commercial workhorse. More heavy-lift options should mean more science missions and planetary probes in the 2030s, not just more broadband satellites.
On 2 March 2025, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed in Mare Crisium on the Moon, after launching on 15 January. The lander carried NASA instruments under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and returned over 100 gigabytes of data, including high-definition views of the lunar horizon glow and even a lunar eclipse as seen from the surface.
Why it matters: This is one of the clearest signals yet that commercial Moon couriers are real. In the next few years we will see a regular trickle of privately built landers delivering instruments, technology demos and, eventually, infrastructure in support of Artemis and beyond.
Contrast this with the news that Japan’s Hakuto-R Mission 2 crashed on Moon. This mission, by Japanese company ispace, showed how hard precision landings still are. The mission attempted to land the RESILIENCE lander in Mare Frigoris on 5 June 2025. Communication was lost about 90 seconds before touchdown and the lander was later confirmed to have crashed.
Why it matters: Commercial lunar exploration is now a global race, not just a NASA activity. Successes and failures in 2025 will feed better designs and more robust landing systems in the late 2020s.
On 1 July 2025, the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile reported the discovery of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed object known to have come from outside our Solar System.
Since then, observatories worldwide have been tracking it. Early results suggest dramatic cryovolcanic activity, with jets of gas and dust erupting from its surface. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft even turned its cameras toward 3I/ATLAS during its cruise phase, capturing observations from tens of millions of kilometres away.
Why it matters: Every interstellar object is a time capsule from another star’s planetary system. Studying 3I/ATLAS gives scientists a rare chance to compare the chemistry of distant systems with our own, and our guests here at Outback Astronomy, it is a reminder that the Solar System is not isolated.
We particularly agree this news is significant, given the scientific uproar … refer to our blog https://outbackastronomy.com.au/comet-3i-atlas-visitor-from-beyond-the-stars/. Scientists need to remain open-minded!
China’s space agency, China National Space Administration, or CNSA as it is known, launched Tianwen-2 on 28 May 2025, its first asteroid sample-return mission.
The spacecraft will rendezvous with near-Earth quasi-satellite 469219 Kamoʻoalewa in 2026, collect at least 100 grams of material, return the samples to Earth in 2027, then head on to explore the main-belt comet 311P/PanSTARRS. The quasi-satellite orbit refers to its orbit of the Sun in a particular way, remaining close to the Sun for some time, though not gravitationally bound to the Sun, before eventually moving away.
Why it matters: Sample-return missions provide the highest quality science. Combining Japanese, American and Chinese asteroid samples over the next decade will give a very rich picture of how rocky planets like Earth formed.
In December, a NASA led study published in Nature quantified how badly satellite mega-constellations are contaminating images from space telescopes like Hubble and planned missions (eg SPHEREx, ARRAKIHS and China’s Xuntian – good space holiday reading in your favourite search-ware).
Why it matters for Outback Astronomy: This is the orbital equivalent of light pollution. Even if you protect ground-based dark sites, a crowded low Earth orbit can still spoil data from space telescopes.
The dark, natural view of the night sky is under great threat for everyone, everywhere.
This simply needs to be noted. Space is a serious business and the European Space Agency (ESA) knows it.
At the end of November, ESA approved the largest budget in its history, about €22.1 billion (about AUD $39 billion) over three years, at its ministerial council in Bremen.
The funding boost supports:
Why it matters: With NASA facing funding uncertainty, Europe has signalled that it intends to remain a major player in both exploration and climate science. This means more European telescopes, probes and Earth-observation missions feeding into the global knowledge pool.
The top news in space in Australia in 2025 was this.
On 30 July 2025 Gilmour Space Technologies launched Eris-1 from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland. This was the first attempt to reach orbit using a rocket designed and built in Australia. The three-stage hybrid rocket lifted off but lost thrust and crashed back to the ground after around 14 seconds.
Despite the short flight, the mission gathered valuable engineering data and marked a genuine turning point toward sovereign launch capability.
Why it matters: Outback Astronomy is able to explain to our guests that Australia has joined the club of nations building and launching their own orbital-class rockets. Follow-up Eris flights are already planned, so 2025 will likely be remembered as the beginning rather than the failure.
For Outback Astronomy followers and guests, the 2025 year was important and progressive:
From our site near Broken Hill, we can still look up at skies that are darker than most people will ever see. The big question running through this year in space is how to keep that connection intact while space becomes busier and more useful for life on Earth.
Image: NASA’s ESCAPADE spacecraft on top of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket ahead of launch from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Image from Blue Origin.
The year delivered major achievements including the first flights of Blue Origin’s New Glenn, NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars, the discovery of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, new lunar landing attempts and confirmation of a gas giant orbiting Alpha Centauri A. Australia also attempted its first orbital rocket launch.
It’s the first confirmed planet around a Sun-like star in our nearest stellar system. Even though it’s a gas giant, its discovery shows that improved observing techniques may soon reveal an Earth-like world closer to home.
New Glenn finally joining operational heavy-lift rockets means more competition, more launch capacity and potentially lower costs for science missions. Its ESCAPADE launch was the first time a New Glenn rocket carried a mission beyond Earth orbit.
It’s only the third confirmed interstellar visitor to pass through our Solar System. Studying it helps scientists understand the chemistry and formation processes of planets around other stars.
Although the rocket did not reach orbit, the mission was a major step toward Australia becoming a country capable of designing, building and launching its own orbital-class rockets. Follow-up flights are already planned.
Mega-constellations now number in the tens of thousands, and studies show they can contaminate both ground-based and space-based astronomy images. This affects scientific research and impacts the natural dark sky experience.
Many of the discoveries, including the Alpha Centauri planet and interstellar comet, connect directly to the objects guests see under our dark skies. They help us explain how dynamic and evolving our Universe is, while also highlighting the need to protect natural darkness.
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Discover stargazing in Broken Hill and unwind under clear outback skies. A relaxing, awe-filled experience perfect for families, couples and travellers seeking connection and perspective.
PLUS Ticket Inclusions
– Seating – reclined chair
– Sleeping Bag (in cooler months)
– Loan of an audio unit
– Optics suitable for the event*
– Side table
– Food and beverage service
Extras at Time of Booking
– Ear phones (or bring your own)
– Hot chocolate
– Options for other food, drinks
* Varies according to conditions.
** Only used in reclined chairs.
Standard Ticket Inclusions
– Seating
– Loan of an audio unit
– Optics suitable for the event*
Extras at Time of Booking
– Ear phones (or bring your own)
– Hot chocolate
– Reclined chair
– Reclined chair, sleeping bag**
– Options for other food, drinks
* Varies according to conditions.
** Only used in reclined chairs.
We use an audio system in most of our sky shows.
You should remember to bring your 3.5mm round plug/jack earphones – or you can purchase some when making an online booking if they are required for your event.
The following earphone connectors are not suitable – flat-style Apple Lightning, USB, Bluetooth or WiFi.