Space exploration took many giant leaps for humanity in 2022.
Here are the top nine space stories Channel 9 covered this year.
Blue Origin flight
A Winter Park couple was among the six civilians on the 11-minute flight to space and back. Sharon Hagle and her husband Marc traveled 62 miles above Earth in March.
The JWST launched in December 2021, but the telescope gave the space community a dazzling set of solar system images in August, ones that scientists have only scratched the surface of discovering.
See more photos in the gallery below:
This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.
This side-by-side comparison shows observations of the Southern Ring Nebula in near-infrared light, at left, and mid-infrared light, at right, from NASA’s Webb Telescope.
Stephan’s Quintet, a visual grouping of five galaxies, is best known for being prominently featured in the holiday classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date. Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is overflowing with detail.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the distinct signature of water, along with evidence for clouds and haze, in the atmosphere surrounding a hot, puffy gas giant planet orbiting a distant Sun-like star.
This image provided by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows Stephan's Quintet, a visual grouping of five galaxies captured by the Webb Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument
This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, combined the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope's two cameras to create a never-before-seen view of a star-forming region in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), this combined image reveals previously invisible areas of star birth.
FILE - In this image provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is released into space from an Ariane rocket on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus.
FILE - This 2015 artist's rendering provided by Northrop Grumman via NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus.
FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 photo released by the European Space Agency, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is secured on top of the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch it to space from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus.
FILE - In this April 13, 2017 photo provided by NASA, technicians lift the mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus.
After the trip to space was pushed back by Hurricane Ian, NASA and SpaceX launched the Crew-5 mission with two NASA astronauts, a JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut.
The Falcon Heavy rocket has not blasted off from Florida’s space coast since 2019, but in November, it successfully launched several satellites for the U.S. Space Force.
The Orion capsule spent 25 days gathering data before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11.
See the photos in the gallery below:
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - NOVEMBER 15: Ground fog covers the Kennedy Space Center Press Site as a photographer lines up his shot toward the Artemis 1 moon rocket and the Orion spacecraft poised on Launch Pad 39B November 15, 2022, as the countdown for the third launch attempt continues at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's Artemis 1 mission is the first test of the agency's deep space exploration systems sending the unmanned Orion spacecraft to orbit the moon several times and return back to earth. (Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - NOVEMBER 15: The Artemis 1 moon rocket and the Orion spacecraft poised on Launch Pad 39B November 15, 2022 as the countdown for the third launch attempt continues at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's Artemis 1 mission is the first test of the agency's deep space exploration systems sending the unmanned Orion spacecraft to orbit the moon several times and return back to earth. (Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 15: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), support crew for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard check to make sure all connections and valves remain tight at Launch Pad 39B in preparation for launch November 15, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASA's Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agency's deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight is targeted for no earlier than November 16 at 1:04 a.m. EST. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 15: NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft attached sits on launch pad 39B as final preparations are made for the Artemis I mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 15, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA is making its third attempt to launch the unmanned Artemis I mission to the moon following a series of technical and weather delays. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 15: Excess gas is burned off next to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft attached as it rests on launch pad 39B as final preparations are made for the Artemis I mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 15, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA is making its third attempt to launch the unmanned Artemis I mission to the moon following a series of technical and weather delays. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis I mission will send the uncrewed spacecraft around the moon to test the vehicle's propulsion, navigation and power systems as a precursor to later crewed mission to the lunar surface. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 16: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, from Launch Complex 39B on November 16, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis I mission will send the uncrewed spacecraft around the moon to test the vehicle's propulsion, navigation and power systems as a precursor to later crewed mission to the lunar surface. (Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis I mission will send the uncrewed spacecraft around the moon to test the vehicle's propulsion, navigation and power systems as a precursor to later crewed mission to the lunar surface. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis I mission will send the uncrewed spacecraft around the moon to test the vehicle's propulsion, navigation and power systems as a precursor to later crewed mission to the lunar surface. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 16: NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis I mission will send the uncrewed spacecraft around the moon to test the vehicle's propulsion, navigation and power systems as a precursor to later crewed mission to the lunar surface. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 15: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), guests at the Banana Creek viewing site are seen as they await the launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard at Launch Pad 39B November 15, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASA's Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agency's deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight is targeted for no earlier than November 16 at 1:04 a.m. EST. (Photo by Keegan Barber/NASA via Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 16: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), guests at the Banana Creek viewing site watch the launch of NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, from Launch Complex 39B on November 16, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Keegan Barber/NASA via Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 16: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), guests watch the launch of NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, from Launch Complex 39B on November 16, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 16: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, from Launch Complex 39B on November 16, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NOVEMBER 16: In this handout provided by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), guests watch the launch of NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, from Launch Complex 39B on November 16, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. (Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
In December, Today Inc. CEO Yusaku Maezawa released the names of the first all-civilian crew on the first private moon mission on SpaceX’s Starship. These included people in photography, music and film.
In 2022, SpaceX launched 61 launches, the company announced on Dec. 30. SpaceX said this is nearly double the number of launches in 2021.
Falcon 9 launched the @ImageSatIntl EROS C-3 mission to orbit overnight, completing SpaceX’s 61st and final launch of 2022 — nearly double our record of 31 launches set last year pic.twitter.com/KTQydZvoYC
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