The year in space: Why 2022 was a pivotal year for exploration and discovery

Space fans had much to celebrate in 2022.

The year was jam-packed with new missions, intriguing science and stunning images beamed back from the cosmos. From the first batch of photos from the world’s most powerful space telescope to the long-awaited debut launch of NASA’s next-generation moon rocket to a first-of-its-kind test to redirect an asteroid, this year was full of important milestones.

And it wasn’t just NASA and other government space agencies with memorable missions in 2022. The year also included significant gains for the commercial space industry, with private companies launching to the space station and the moon, and setting their sights beyond.

Here are the biggest space stories from 2022.