Examination of Space Missions with Human Crew in 2024 and 2025

**Commercial Spaceflight Takes Off: Pioneering Years Transform into a Booming Industry**

The year 2024 and 2025 have marked a significant turning point in the world of commercial spaceflight, with groundbreaking developments, record-breaking milestones, and the emergence of new players in the field.

China's Tiangong space station, a permanent outpost in space, has been operating alongside the International Space Station (ISS) and the methodical operations of various national programs. The station maintains a continuous human presence and conducts regular crew rotations and scientific research, with a focus on solving challenges related to China's lunar exploration goals.

NASA's Artemis II mission, planned for September 2025, will be the first crewed mission of the program and will validate the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft and its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The mission crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), and Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist), is preparing for this historic journey.

Meanwhile, the Shenzhou-19 crew, including astronauts from China and other countries, has been conducting multiple spacewalks, including one that set a new record for the longest in Chinese history at over nine hours.

The SpaceX Crew-8 mission, which carried a four-person international crew, including NASA astronauts and a Roscosmos cosmonaut, has dedicated its time to conducting over 200 scientific experiments. The mission also marked the first test of Starlink's laser-based communications system in space.

The ISS remains a primary destination for human spaceflight activities, serving as a unique microgravity laboratory and a symbol of long-standing international cooperation. Russia continues to provide reliable transportation to the ISS with its Soyuz spacecraft, maintaining a crucial role in the international partnership.

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft conducted its first crewed flight test in 2024, but encountered technical problems during its approach to the ISS, leading to an extended stay on the station.

The commercial spaceflight industry is rapidly evolving, with Virgin Galactic successfully flying five commercial space tourism missions as of early 2024. This achievement signals the transition of space tourism from experimental to operational status, proving increased reliability and market viability.

SpaceX aims to begin crewed Starship flights as early as 2025. Starship's ability to transport large numbers of people and cargo to orbit and beyond could revolutionize space settlements and deep-space exploration.

June 2025 saw a record 21 commercial space launches by American companies, reflecting a surge in launch frequency and operational tempo. This high cadence demonstrates the growing maturity and scale of the commercial launch market.

Several private ventures are advancing commercial space station projects preparing to succeed the ISS. Starlab Space, a collaboration involving Voyager Technologies, Airbus, Mitsubishi, and MDA, is one such project. Haven-1, developed by Vast, is another contender noted for its potential to disrupt the market.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket is anticipated to have its first flight between 2024 and 2025. It features a reusable first stage capable of 25 flights, a 45-tonne payload capacity to low Earth orbit (LEO), and is powered by seven BE-4 methane engines.

Reusable launch vehicles continue to expand in use, enhancing launch sustainability and cost efficiency. SpaceX's Starship, for instance, is designed to be reusable.

SpaceX, alone, has reached a private valuation around $350 billion following investment rounds in 2024, underscoring strong investor confidence tied to Starship and Starlink. Likewise, NASA has awarded Blue Origin a $3.4 billion contract, indicating growing government-private partnerships fueling commercial spaceflight development.

Axiom Space, in partnership with SpaceX, is organizing multi-day missions to the ISS for a new generation of spacefarers, including the first all-European commercial astronaut mission (Ax-3) and the most research-intensive Axiom mission yet (Ax-4).

The delay in the launch of Artemis II was driven by a safety-first approach, allowing engineers more time to resolve technical issues discovered following the uncrewed Artemis I flight in 2022.

The Chinese space agency is strategically aligning research on Tiangong with its long-term space exploration goals, particularly its objective of landing taikonauts on the Moon by 2030.

The commercial spaceflight industry is scaling from pioneering efforts to a major, dynamic industry with growing infrastructure and market opportunities. These trends suggest that commercial spaceflight is no longer a distant dream but a reality within our reach.

The advancements in research and development in commercial spaceflight have led to significant milestones and the entry of new players in the field.
China's Tiangong space station is operating alongside the International Space Station, maintaining human presence and conducting scientific research for China's lunar exploration goals.
NASA's Artemis II mission, set for September 2025, aims to validate the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft and its Space Launch System rocket.
The Shenzhou-19 crew, with astronauts from various countries, is conducting spacewalks, setting new records for Chinese history.
The SpaceX Crew-8 mission has been conducting scientific experiments and testing Starlink's laser-based communications system.
International cooperation remains central to the ISS, serving as a microgravity laboratory and a symbol of partnership.
Russia continues to provide reliable transportation to the ISS, maintaining a crucial role in the international partnership.
Boeing's CST-100 Starliner faced technical problems during its approach to the ISS, resulting in an extended stay on the station.
Space tourism has transitioned from experimental to operational status, with Virgin Galactic successfully flying five commercial space tourism missions.
SpaceX aims to begin crewed Starship flights by 2025, potentially revolutionizing space settlements and deep-space exploration.
June 2025 saw a record 21 commercial space launches by American companies, reflecting the growing maturity and scale of the commercial launch market.
Private ventures are developing commercial space station projects, aiming to succeed the ISS and disrupt the market.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, capable of 25 flights and powered by seven BE-4 methane engines, is anticipated to launch between 2024 and 2025.
Reusable launch vehicles are enhancing launch sustainability and cost efficiency, with SpaceX's Starship being designed for reusability.
Strong investor confidence, as shown by SpaceX's private valuation of $350 billion, is indicative of growing government-private partnerships fueling commercial spaceflight development.
Axiom Space is organizing multi-day missions to the ISS for a new generation of spacefarers, including the first all-European commercial astronaut mission and the most research-intensive mission yet.