Top 10 Rare Discoveries and Unforgettable Space Moments From 2025

As we move into a new year, 2025 stands out for dramatic discoveries, rare atmospheric phenomena and high-profile mission milestones — some triumphant, some cautionary. Below are ten moments that captured the imagination of scientists and the public alike.

1. Two Astronauts Return After 286 Days Afloat

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams unexpectedly stayed in orbit for 286 days — from early June 2024 to mid-March 2025 — after problems with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Originally scheduled for a 10-day mission, the pair finally returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, splashing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast where recovery teams greeted them.

2. Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Visits Our Solar System

On July 1, 2025, the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile (part of a NASA-supported program) discovered interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Scientists confirmed it was only the third known object to arrive from beyond our solar system. The comet posed no threat to Earth; its closest recorded approach came on Dec. 19 at about 167 million miles. NASA and partner agencies tracked it as it crossed the inner solar system, and the Hubble Space Telescope captured deeper observations in early December.

3. Meteor (Bolide) Explosion Captured on a Space-Facing Livestream

In November, live-streaming company Sencaught recorded the explosive breakup of a meteor (bolide) over the North Pacific Ocean on its continuous space-facing feed. The footage showed the meteor fragmenting in a bright flash — a rare capture from space that many observers noted could be the first of its kind.

4. SpaceX Starship Suffers Catastrophic Failure

Less than 10 minutes after liftoff from Texas in March, SpaceX’s Starship experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," scattering debris across parts of Florida and the Caribbean. The explosion temporarily diverted flights at some Florida airports and prompted safety reviews and investigations into the vehicle’s failure.

5. Gigantic Jet Photographed From the ISS

NASA astronaut Nichole "Vapor" Ayers photographed a transient luminous event while aboard the International Space Station in July. Although she initially debated whether she had captured a sprite or a gigantic jet, analysis confirmed the sighting was a gigantic jet — a powerful electrical discharge that reaches from thunderstorm tops into the upper atmosphere and is typically seen only by chance.

6. Perseverance Records Sounds on Mars

In December, NASA announced that the Perseverance rover had recorded rare sounds on Mars, using audio captured in October 2024. The recordings included electrical-spark sounds and small sonic booms produced by dust devils, providing direct evidence for long-held theories about audible phenomena on the Red Planet.

7. Lunar Eclipse Viewed From Orbit

A total lunar eclipse in early September was not visible from much of the United States, but astronauts aboard the ISS captured striking footage. The September Full Corn Moon turned into a Blood Moon in the regions of totality — visible from Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe — and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman planned and recorded video and photos of the event from orbit.

8. James Webb Telescope Marks Three Years With Stunning Images

July marked the third anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope’s operations. NASA and the scientific community highlighted ten particularly dramatic Webb images that reveal unprecedented detail across the Milky Way and beyond, underscoring Webb’s continued impact on astronomy.

9. Renewed Focus on a Martian Rock Sample

Scientists revisited a distinctive Martian sample nicknamed "Cheyava Falls," first collected in 2024 from a formation called Bright Angel in an ancient river valley. Researchers say they are increasingly confident the sample includes features consistent with ancient microbial activity, but confirmation will require laboratory analysis on Earth. NASA currently has no finalized new sample-return mission following revisions to earlier plans.

10. Northern Lights Filmed From Above

On April 8, 2025, NASA astronaut Don Petit recorded vivid auroral displays from the ISS as the station prepared to dock with a Soyuz spacecraft. The video shows the luminous green curtains of the Northern Lights from orbit, offering a rare and beautiful perspective on auroral activity.

Why it matters: Together these events illustrate the breadth of modern space science — from planetary exploration and interstellar visitors to atmospheric science and the operational risks of launch systems. The lessons and discoveries of 2025 are already shaping mission planning, safety protocols and future observations.