Gizmodo’s Information to the Coolest House Missions of 2026

There have been many spectacular moments in spaceflight this yr, but when the business had a slogan, it could be “onwards and upwards.” So, as 2025 involves an finish, it’s time to shift our focus towards the launches and mission milestones on deck for 2026.

Over the following yr, area companies and corporations will push the boundaries of exploration additional than ever earlier than. Deliberate missions embody the primary launch of probably the most highly effective rocket ever constructed, a lunar touchdown, and a crewed flight across the Moon—and that’s only the start.

With out additional ado, listed below are the 11 most fun spaceflight occasions scheduled for 2026. You received’t wish to miss a single one.

First launch of Starship Model 3 (early 2026)

Starship Model 3 pic.twitter.com/1sHD25y49o

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2025

The third iteration of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket would be the largest, most powerful launch vehicle ever built. Starship Model 3 (V3) is designed to take American astronauts again to the Moon, deploy the following era of Starlink satellites, and usher in a brand new period of Mars exploration. If we’re fortunate, we should see it launch in early 2026.

In comparison with Starship V2, this upgraded model will likely be about 5 toes (1.5 meters) taller with a bigger propellant capability and new docking adapters for in-orbit gasoline switch. That final improve will likely be important to NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, which can use a modified model of Starship V3 referred to as the Human Touchdown System (HLS) to return astronauts to the Moon.

Nevertheless, SpaceX’s Artemis 3 contract may get swiped by Blue Origin, which is working by itself lunar lander—extra on that in a second.

As we all know from the debut of Starship V2, there’s a significant studying curve to launching a new-and-improved Starship. It’s completely probably that V3’s first few flights received’t go as deliberate, and we might even see some explosive failures. No matter occurs will likely be pivotal for SpaceX and NASA, as V3’s improvement underpins the Artemis timeline, Starlink’s evolution, and Starship’s path to full operation.

Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 1 launch (early 2026)

Alright, again to Blue Origin. Blue is creating two lunar landers: Blue Moon Mark 1 (for cargo) and Blue Moon Mark 2 (for crew and cargo). The latter is the lander that would nab the Artemis 3 contract from SpaceX if it’s able to fly earlier than the Starship HLS, however its improvement hinges on the success of Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1).

The 26-foot-tall (8-meter-tall) cargo lander is anticipated to embark on its first flight throughout the first quarter of 2026, touching down close to the Shackleton crater on the Moon’s south pole. This demonstration mission, dubbed “Pathfinder,” will intention to validate all the lander’s {hardware} and methods, together with its never-before-flown BE-7 engine.

MK1 is the biggest business cargo lander ever constructed, which can enable it to hold extra payload than any of NASA’s Business Lunar Payload Companies (CLPS) landers. When it launches aboard New Glenn subsequent yr, it can bring a NASA payload referred to as SCALPSS (Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Floor Research) together with it. This array of cameras will take pictures of MK1’s descent and collect information to help future Moon landings.

NASA’s Artemis 2 mission launch (no later than April)

Talking of going to the Moon, NASA plans to launch its first crewed mission below the Artemis program no later than April 2026. Artemis 2 will likely be humanity’s farthest journey from Earth since the Apollo era ended over 50 years ago.

The mission will launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy House Heart in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The crew—consisting of mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—will journey contained in the Orion spacecraft.

After separating from SLS, Orion will perform a number of maneuvers to lift its orbit round Earth and finally set itself on a lunar free return trajectory. It will ship the spacecraft and its crew on a slingshot-like journey across the Moon, utilizing Earth’s gravity to naturally pull Orion again residence.

To be clear, the Artemis 2 mission won’t land astronauts on the lunar floor, however this 10-day flyby will pave the best way for the Artemis 3 Moon touchdown. It would additionally make historical past as the primary to ship a lady and an individual of coloration on a lunar mission. Should you solely watch one area launch in 2026, it must be this one.

Huge Haven-1 launch: world’s first business area station (Could)

Since 2000, the International Space Station (ISS) has served as an orbital outpost for astronauts spanning 5 area companies and 15 nations. In 2030, NASA plans to retire it, sending it falling by means of Earth’s ambiance the place most of it can dissipate throughout reentry.

That doesn’t imply the company and its worldwide companions will quit their steady presence in low-Earth orbit. In 2021, NASA created the Business LEO Locations (CLD) program to help the design, construct, and operation of personal Earth-orbiting area stations. A number of firms are engaged on this, together with Huge, a California-based aerospace agency.

Huge plans to ship Haven-1, a single-module area station, to orbit in Could 2026. The station is designed to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Weighing in at roughly 31,000 kilos (14,000 kilograms), Haven-1 would be the largest spacecraft the rocket has ever carried. Huge claims it can even be the world’s first business area station.

Haven-1 will likely be able to internet hosting as much as 4 astronauts at a time for short-duration missions. That’s not appropriate to switch the ISS, however it can function a stepping stone to the modular Haven-2 space station. The corporate goals to suggest Haven-2 for the second section of NASA’s CLD program, with plans to launch the primary module in 2028.

NASA SunRISE mission launch (summer time 2026)

Understanding the solar activity that drives area climate is crucial to defending infrastructure in Earth’s orbit and on the bottom. Subsequent summer time, NASA plans to launch an array of six toaster-sized CubeSats that may work collectively to review the Solar’s dynamic habits.

The Solar Radio Interferometer House Experiment, or SunRISE, will observe low radio frequency emissions to enhance scientists’ understanding of how the Solar generates photo voltaic particle storms, in line with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These bursts of high-energy particles may be hazardous to aircraft, spacecraft and astronauts. They will additionally set off geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt energy grids and communications methods.

The mission will launch as a rideshare aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur Rocket, sponsored by the U.S. House Drive’s House Methods Command. After launch, the SunRISE satellites will orbit Earth inside 6 miles (10 kilometers) of one another to behave like a large single-aperture radio telescope, utilizing a way referred to as interferometry.

SunRISE information will produce detailed 3D maps of the place energetic radio emissions happen within the Solar’s heliosphere. These emissions level to the places of extraordinarily highly effective bursts of radiation. The mission will even map the Solar’s magnetic area strains for the primary time. These findings will considerably enhance our understanding of how photo voltaic particle storms kind and evolve.

China’s Chang’e 7 launch (August)

Blue Origin isn’t the one one trying a Moon touchdown in 2026. In August, the China Nationwide House Administration (CNSA) plans to launch a mission to the lunar south pole.

The Chang’e 7 mission will launch aboard China’s Lengthy March 5 rocket, lifting off from Wenchang House Launch Web site on the island province of Hainan. It would ship an orbiter, lander, rover, and “hopper” probe to discover the Moon’s south pole and seek for assets that may assist China set up a sustained lunar presence, notably water-ice.

The lander carrying the rover and hopper probe will contact down close to the rim of the Shackleton influence crater, which is prime lunar actual property. NASA is also eyeing the area as a touchdown web site for the Artemis 3 mission and a perfect place to construct a Moon base.

The Shackleton crater is so sought-after as a result of daylight solely ever reaches its rim, which stays illuminated for 90% of the yr. In the meantime, the inside is perpetually darkish. This makes it a perfect touchdown web site for future crewed Moon missions, permitting astronauts to harness solar energy on the rim whereas additionally exploring the crater’s completely shadowed inside for water ice.

With Chang’e 7’s goal launch date quick approaching, it seems China is on monitor to beat the U.S. to extracting water from the lunar floor. If the mission succeeds, it could put much more strain on NASA to speed up its progress towards a sustained lunar presence.

ESA’s Hera reaches Didymos (November)

In 2022, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) demonstrated that ramming a spacecraft into an asteroid may change the area rock’s trajectory. The mission was an enormous success that offered a possible technique to defend Earth from oncoming asteroids, although Dimorphos—the one focused by DART—was by no means a menace to our planet.

NASA scientists are tracking almost 2,000 probably hazardous asteroids that—in contrast to Dimorphos—may pose a danger to Earth. The company desires to be prepared to reply shortly if certainly one of these area rocks finally ends up on a collision course with our planet. However earlier than it might reliably depend upon this protection technique—the kinetic impactor technique—it wants to know the consequences of using it. That’s the place the European House Company’s Hera mission is available in.

The Hera spacecraft launched in October 2024 and is on its technique to Dimorphos to conduct a post-impact survey, with an anticipated arrival of November 2026. Hera’s devices will carry out visible, laser, and radio mapping of the asteroid to assist scientists absolutely perceive the aftermath of the kinetic impactor method.

This information will validate and refine numerical fashions of the influence course of at asteroid scale, confirming whether or not this deflection technique is prepared for operational use. In that case, it could be a significant win for our planetary protection capabilities.

ESA’s BepiColombo enters Mercury’s orbit (November)

Of all of the planets within the interior photo voltaic system, the one we’ve explored the least is definitely our closest neighbor: Mercury. That’s as a result of it’s extraordinarily troublesome for spacecraft to enter the small planet’s orbit.

The rationale for that’s Mercury’s proximity to the Solar. To enter the planet’s orbit, a spacecraft has to continuously brake towards the gravitational pull of our residence star, which both requires lots of gasoline or utilizing the gravity of different planets to decelerate.

Subsequent yr, the BepiColombo mission will obtain this feat for the second time in historical past. This joint mission between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Company (JAXA) launched in 2018, and has since accomplished six gravity-assisted flybys of Mercury. It’s on monitor to enter the planet’s orbit in November 2026.

BepiColombo consists of three separate spacecraft. Two of them are science orbiters: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). These spacecraft are being transported to the desert planet by the Mercury Switch Module (MTM). As soon as they arrive, MPO and MMO will break up off into two totally different orbits finest suited to their science devices.

MPO will orbit near Mercury to observe the planet’s surface, whereas MMO hangs again to review its magnetic area. Their findings ought to assist scientists higher perceive how Mercury fashioned and what the early photo voltaic system was like.

Sierra House Dream Chaser first launch (late 2026)

Sierra House, a Colorado-based aerospace firm, plans to launch the world’s first commercial spaceplane in late 2026.

Dubbed “Dream Chaser,” this winged plane is designed to launch to low-Earth orbit atop a rocket, then survive atmospheric reentry and carry out runway landings like a airplane. Its foldable wings unfurl as soon as it’s in flight and generate energy utilizing photo voltaic arrays. Its exterior can be geared up with warmth defend tiles to guard it from the intense temperatures of reentry.

In essence, Dream Chaser combines engineering components of airplanes and spacecraft to function a flexible, reusable car for cargo (and finally crewed) missions to low-Earth orbit. In 2016, NASA awarded Sierra House a Business Resupply Companies 2 contract to supply a minimum of seven cargo deliveries to the Worldwide House Station.

Its first flight was initially speculated to happen in 2020, however the spaceplane’s improvement has been repeatedly delayed by certification hurdles and technical points. In November, Sierra House announced that Dream Chaser had accomplished a sequence of crucial pre-flight milestones and is on monitor for a primary launch to low-Earth orbit within the fourth quarter of 2026.

The inaugural Dream Chaser, named “Tenacity,” will launch from Kennedy House Heart aboard a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur Rocket.

JAXA Martian Moons Exploration launch (late 2026)

JAXA is gearing up for one of the crucial bold planetary science missions in historical past. In late 2026, the company hopes to launch the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, which can ship a robotic probe to discover Mars’s two moons, Deimos and Phobos.

No spacecraft have carried out prolonged investigations of those moons earlier than; what little info we’ve got about them comes from a couple of fly-by measurements. MMX would be the first mission to not solely take detailed measurements of the moons, but additionally land on Phobos to gather a pattern and return it to Earth for evaluation. MMX may additionally assist pave the best way for future crewed Mars missions.

The spacecraft is designed to launch aboard JAXA’s H3 rocket, which recently suffered an engine anomaly throughout its seventh flight. Hopefully JAXA can determine and proper the problem shortly, as points with H3 have already pushed the mission previous its authentic launch goal of September 2024.

If MMX does get off the bottom subsequent yr, the probe will enter Martian orbit about one yr later. It would then transfer right into a quasi satellite tv for pc orbit round Phobos, land on the floor for pattern assortment, and carry out a number of shut flybys of Deimos earlier than setting course again to Earth. In accordance with this timeline, it ought to return in 2031.

Roman telescope launch (probably fall 2026)

In an thrilling flip of occasions, NASA has accomplished development of the Nancy Grace Roman House Telescope forward of schedule. Whereas the official launch date for this unbelievably highly effective observatory remains to be Could 2027, it’s on track to launch as quickly as fall 2026.

Roman is a multi-billion-dollar infrared telescope with a area of view 100 occasions bigger than Hubble’s. In accordance with NASA, it may observe a billion galaxies in its lifetime, providing an unprecedented view of the cosmos. Roman will even be capable of block starlight to see exoplanets and planet-forming disks, conduct a statistical census of planetary methods in our galaxy, reply large questions on darkish vitality, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.

With all this on Roman’s horizon, it might come as a shock that certainly one of its first duties will likely be to stare at absolutely nothing. Astronomers not too long ago laid out an motion plan to make use of the telescope to research cosmic voids—immense, low-density areas of the universe. Researchers suspect these areas are dominated by darkish vitality, and Roman may assist them search for it.

The telescope will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy House Heart. If we’re fortunate sufficient to see it launch subsequent yr, it can mark the start of a brand new age of scientific discovery.