For starters, there were 86 launches to orbit this year, according to Newsy.

SpaceX finally launched and landed Falcon9 succssfully, one month after Blue Origin did so.

Billionaire CEOs Elon Musk, who comandeered SpaceX's effort, and Jeff Bezos, who oversaw Blue Origin, trolled each other about it on Twitter.

Musk congratulated Bezos via Twitter but then tried to one up him by explaining the difference between space and orbit.

In other space news, NASA scientists received their closest look at Pluto to date. And earlier in the year, they also saw Pluto and its moon like never before.

Scott Kelly set the record the most time spent in space by a U.S. astronaut in October.

One month before that, water was discovered on Mars.

This NASA photo of Mars had everyone talking as well. Did or do you see a creature there?

A weather balloon that had been lost for two years turned up with stunning images of the Grand Canyon in September as well.

Oh, and Matt Damon received critical acclaim for his role in "The Martian," too. That counts, right?

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (center) is flanked by GOP whip Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (left) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, as Thune speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the Senate passed the budget reconciliation package of President Donald Trump's signature bill of big tax breaks and spending cuts. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

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