NASA's Europa Clipper, launched in October, will study Jupiter's moon Europa for signs of life. Highlights Japan’s SLIM lunar mission set new exploration milestones. NASA's Perseverance rover uncovered key Mars discoveries. Europa Clipper launched to explore potential life on Jupiter's moon. Advertisement Significant advancements in space exploration were made throughout 2024, with missions targeting the moon, Mars, Mercury, and beyond. Government agencies, private companies, and scientists achieved remarkable milestones, pushing the boundaries of discovery in our solar system. New Missions to the Moon Multiple lunar missions added to humanity's knowledge of Earth's natural satellite. According to reports, Japan's SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon) landed on a lunar crater's rim in January. Initially expected to operate for just two weeks, it exceeded expectations by transmitting data for three months. In February, the Houston-based Intuitive Machines' Odysseus spacecraft completed a six-day mission near the lunar south pole despite landing off-balance. China's Chang'e 6 mission, launched by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), brought back soil samples from the moon's far side in June, marking the first collection of its kind. Early analyses suggested the region was volcanically active approximately 2.8 billion years ago.