10 rare discoveries and memorable moments from space in 2025
2025 was filled with dozens of space discoveries and moments worth making headlines, but in no particular order, here are 10 of our favorites from the year.
FILE: SpaceX starship explodes due to ‘major anomaly’ during fire test in Texas
A routine test led to fireworks on Wednesday night, when a SpaceX Starship exploded on the launch pad in Starbase, Texas.
We're taking a look back at 10 of the most memorable space moments from 2025, as we leap into a new year that's sure to be chock-full of more intriguing space events and discoveries.
2025 was filled with dozens of space discoveries and moments worth making headlines, but in no particular order, here are 10 of our favorites.
1. Stranded astronauts return to Earth
After spending 286 days stuck in space from early June 2024 to mid-March 2025, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally made it back to Earth.
Wilmore and Williams were supposed to only spend 10 days in space on a NASA mission, but after docking at the International Space Station following problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft, they ended up spending almost nine months in space.
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NASA astronauts return home after 9-month stint aboard the ISS
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally back on Earth, nearly 9 months later than originally scheduled, splashing down in a different spacecraft than the one they launched in last June.
The astronauts splashed down on Florida's Gulf Coast in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule where NASA and SpaceX teams were waiting on boats to greet the astronaut crew.
2. Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS discovered
On July 1, 2025, Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was found by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile. The comet quickly made headlines, as scientists determined it’s only the third known discovered object to pass through the solar system from the outside.
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FILE: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as seen by Rubin Observatory
The recently discovered interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was spotted by the new NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.
The comet was determined to have no threat to Earth, and passed the closest to Earth it could get at 167 million miles from the planet on Dec. 19.
NASA and other research and science agencies monitored and studied the comet as it moved through the galaxy.
New image of the comet 3I/ATLAS from the Hubble Telescope (NASA)
In early December, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took a deeper look at the comet as it passed through the solar system.
3. Extremely rare meteor explosion captured live on space webcam
In November, live-streaming company Sen caught the explosion of a meteor live on their 24/7 livestream from space.
Sen live stream captures rare moment a meteor explodes (Sen / FOX Weather)
Also called a bolide, video showed the moment the meteor exploded over the North Pacific Ocean.
Many believe it was the first time such an event had been caught on a camera from space.
4. SpaceX Starship explodes
Less than 10 minutes after its launch from Texas in March, SpaceX's Starship spacecraft exploded over the Caribbean and western Atlantic.
The explosion sent glittering debris cascading from the sky across Florida and the Caribbean.
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SpaceX debris over the Bahamas on March 6, 2025. (@GeneDoctorB / X / FOX Weather)
SpaceX said the Starship experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost."
The explosion temporarily diverted flights to Florida airports.
5. Astronaut captures transient luminous event in photo from space
NASA astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers was aboard the International Space Station in July when she took a photo of a transient luminous event as seen from above Earth.
At the time, Ayers wasn't sure if what she captured was a gigantic jet or a sprite, two different types of transient luminous events, but it turned out to be a gigantic jet.
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NASA astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers captured a stunning photo of a rare red TLE known as a gigantic jet, above a thunderstorm around the Desert Southwest. (NASA astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers / NASA)
NASA said gigantic jets are seen by chance, and are a powerful type of electrical discharge that extends from the top of a thunderstorm into the upper atmosphere.
6. NASA rover captures rare phenomenon on Mars
The Perseverance Mars rover captured rare sounds on the surface of Mars for the first time ever, as announced by NASA in December.
Perseverance recorded the sounds of electrical sparks and mini-sonic booms caused by dust devils. The recordings confirmed decades-old theories that these occurrences could happen on the Red Planet.
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NASA rover captures rare phenomenon on camera for first time
For the first time ever, the Perseverance Mars rover recorded electrical discharges and mini-sonic booms coming from dust devils, confirming decades-old theories that these occurrences could happen on the Red Planet.
The recordings were taken by the rover in Octover of 2024, NASA said.
7. Stunning video shows lunar eclipse seen from space
Americans didn't get to experience the total lunar eclipse that happened in early September from Earth, but NASA astronauts on the International Space Station did, sharing incredible video and photos from the event.
September’s Full Corn Moon turned into a Blood Moon eclipse for some when the sun, moon and Earth aligned, casting Earth’s shadow on the moon. Totality was visible from Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe — but not the U.S. because of the timing.
Total lunar eclipse seen from space
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Jonny Kim captured views of September's total lunar eclipse from the International Space Station.
Video from NASA astronaut Zena Cardman showed the eclipse from the ISS.
She said she planned out her photos and videos for over a week to get the perfect visuals.
8. Celebrating three years of the James Webb Space Telescope
In July, NASA celebrated three years of the James Webb Space Telescope and the amazing images it produces of the galaxy.
To celebrate the anniversary, we took a look at 10 of the best images taken by the telescope in its three years.
The photos showed a variety of insane things that exist across the Milky Way you don't want to look away from.
9. Mars rock discovery shows signs of life, but samples need to be brought to Earth to confirm
NASA previously announced this intriguing "leopard-spotted" rock named "Cheyava Falls" in 2024 when it was originally sampled by Perseverance in the ancient Martian river valley believed to have once contained water.
This sample was taken while exploring a rock formation known as "Bright Angel," according to NASA.
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NASA's Perseverance rover discovered a "leopard spot" on a reddish rock nicknamed "Cheyava Falls" in Mars Jezero Crater in July 2024. (NASA)
The space agency is more confident that the sample includes signs of ancient microbial life, but the sample would need to be tested in labs on Earth to confirm the findings and the agency does not yet have a new Mars sample return plan after scrapping its previous ambitious and costly mission to retrieve the Martian rocks.
10. Northern Lights caught on video from ISS
A video shared by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station showed a vivid display of the Northern Lights from miles above Earth.
NASA Astronaut Don Petit was recording as the ISS was preparing to dock with a Soyuz spacecraft on April 8, 2025.
Watch: Astronaut captures stunning video of Northern Lights from International Space Station
NASA Astronaut Don Petit shared an incredible video showing the Northern Lights from the International Space Station as it was preparing to dock with a Soyuz spacecraft on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
The video showed the magnificent luminous green glow of the Northern Lights as the ISS spins around above Earth.