By Jackie Wattles, CNN Business 12/21/2020
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark year for the commercial space industry. SpaceX became the first company ever to send humans to space aboard a privately owned spacecraft. The US government continued to work closely with startups and space businesses to put humans back on the Moon. And, helped by governments declaring them "essential businesses" amid the pandemic, a pack of young space companies kept working to create new rockets or satellite services.
But 2021 is expected to be even bigger for the burgeoning industry as reigning giants such as SpaceX continue to pursue futuristic technologies — from Mars rockets to space-based internet service and extraterrestrial tourism.
Here's a look at what the private sector has planned in space next year.Astronauts fly commercialSpaceX made history when its Crew Dragon spacecraft proved it can ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, marking the first time in SpaceX's 18-year history that the company put humans in space. It was also the climax of a decade-long partnership with NASA to return human spaceflight capabilities to the United States.
SpaceX is expected to make those trips routine. Another group of astronauts is expected to take flight aboard a Crew Dragon in Spring 2021, and yet another Crew Dragon flight could launch next Fall.
Orbital tourism
Suborbital joy rides
ULA goes to the Moon, Bezos's orbital rocket takes flight
Small rockets
Funding the future
SpaceX: Starship and StarlinkMore:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/21/tech/space-year-ahead-scn/index.html
