Space fans have a lot to look forward to this year as the space industry builds on the momentum that pushed it to a record-setting 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic.
What's happening: Multiple countries are headed to Mars, and several new missions to other destinations are expected to launch.
The White House laid out a plan last week for updating long-held rules around how to protect the Moon, Mars and other bodies from human contamination.
Why it matters: If a space agency or private company is looking for life on Mars or another deep space object, it's key to be sure any microbes detected are actually native and didn't hitch a ride from Earth.
The decades-long search for life elsewhere in the universe is building to a crescendo in 2021.
Driving the news: Three new Mars missions are slated to arrive at the Red Planet in February and a powerful space telescope is expected to finally launch this year.
The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule that limits scientific research used in the crafting of public health and environmental policy.
Why it matters: Researchers argue the rule that prioritizes studies with all data available publicly "essentially blocks" research that uses personal information and confidential medical records that can't be released because of privacy conditions, per the New York Times, which first reported the news Monday.
