Year in Review Space

Spacecraft in 2021 set their sights on Mars, asteroids and beyond

New rovers started exploring the Red Planet while other missions launched to asteroids

The rover Perseverance sits in the foreground with the red, rocky landscape and red-tinted sky in the background

NASA’s Perseverance rover arrived on Mars in February and has been exploring an ancient lake bed.

JPL-CALTECH/NASA

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

While a flurry of missions crowded around Mars this year, some lesser-explored parts of the solar system are about to get fresh eyes.