Space science exploration in 2021 achieved fruitful outcoming. In this article we review the major results based on the data of space science missions, mainly in categories of astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science and space earth science. Besides, we analyze the outstanding engineering success and science achievement of several solar system probes. These results include but not limited to:the man-made satellite for the first time touched the solar corona, a space hurricane in the Earth polar cap region was detected, two-billion-year-old lunar basalts sampling helped to better understand the lunar evolution history, Martian seismic data revealed the deep interior of Mars, persistent plasma waves were detected in interstellar space, and a new all-sky map of Milky Way was charted. Looking into the future, we also analyze two very important strategic plans released in that year, i.e., European Space Agency's Voyager 2050 and National Academy of Sciences' Astro2020. As to newborn Chinese space science missions, the science data of DAMPE mission was released, and science missions like InsightHXMT and Chang'e 5 were yielding world-class output.

space science  /  scientific satellite  /  solar system probe  /  2021 hotspot  /  discovery