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Great Space Events in 2018

Some fine space events to come by 2018! The OSIRIS-REx will reach asteroid Bennu by August 2018, collecting a 2.1 ounce sample for return to Earth in 2023 as InSight Mars Lander will launch in May 2018, first planetary ever to launch from the Vandenberg AFB, and head to Mars for a landing by next November. New Horizons is continuing its journey in the deep of the solar system, to reach Kuiper Belt object (KBO) MU69 on Jan. 1, 2019. DAWN, Opportunity, Curiosity as far as they are concerned, will keep working at minor planet Ceres, or Mars, respectively. In terms of space race anniversaries, 2018 will be the anniversary year for a spate of Apollo missions (5, 6, 7, and 8). And also the launch of the first U.S. Earth's artificial satellite, the Explorer I, on January 31st, 1958. 2018 at last will commemorate the creation of NASA as President Eisenhower adopted in June 1958 the National Aeronautics and Space Act as NASA turned effective the following October 1st, 1958!

(those pronostications from our best knowledge at the time of publication and may be subject to change. for updated information, check more on the Internet and also our Space section)