When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.The Orion spacecraft during trans-lunar injection, to bring an Artemis mission to the moon. | Credit: NASAFrom astronauts circling the moon to spacecraft reaching Mercury and asteroids near Earth, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for space exploration.Governments and private companies alike are preparing missions that could redefine how humans live and work in space, deepen our understanding of the solar system and push exploration farther than it’s gone in decades.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOver the course of the year, space agencies and commercial providers are targeting a wide range of milestones, including NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission beyond low Earth orbit, the debut of commercial space stations, new lunar landers and rockets, asteroid sample-return attempts and the launch or arrival of powerful next-generation space telescopes. Together, these missions reflect a rapidly evolving spaceflight landscape.Here are the top space missions to watch in 2026.1) Artemis 2 sends astronauts around the moonThe Artemis 2 astronauts (left to right: Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen) at an event at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on Sept. 24, 2025. | Credit: Space.com / Josh DinnerNASA’s Artemis 2 mission will carry four astronauts on a roughly 10-day journey around the moon, marking humanity’s first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.Flying aboard the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket, Artemis 2 will test life-support systems, navigation and communications in deep space ahead of future lunar landings. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot) and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). The mission is currently targeting a launch no earlier than Feb. 5, 2026, though the exact date will depend on technical readiness, with the available launch window extending into April.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementArtemis 2 is a critical proving ground for future lunar landings, including Artemis 3. Its success would mark the true beginning of NASA’s sustained crewed return to the moon.2) SpaceX pushes Starship toward Mars-ready milestonesSpaceX’s Starship could be a big factor in space exploration for 2026. | Credit: SpaceXSpaceX hopes to make 2026 a breakout year for its Starship megarocket by flying the vehicle to Earth orbit for the first time and demonstrating in-orbit cryogenic propellant transfer, a critical capability for future deep-space missions, such as journeys to the moon and Mars. While company founder and CEO Elon Musk has suggested a Mars launch attempt in 2026 is possible, he has also acknowledged the odds are roughly “50–50,” making orbital operations and refueling demonstrations the more likely near-term goals.In parallel, SpaceX is working to achieve rapid reuse of both Starship elements — the Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage. Even without an interplanetary launch, successfully reaching orbit, transferring propellant in space and quickly reusing hardware would represent a major technological leap — and could make 2026 a pivotal year in Starship’s path toward enabling sustained human exploration beyond Earth.3) Blue Origin’s Mark 1 lunar lander demonstrationIllustration of Blue Origin’s Mark 1 lander on the moon. | Credit: Blue OriginAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBlue Origin plans to launch its Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander on a robotic demonstration mission to the moon in early 2026, with the spacecraft targeting a landing near Shackleton Crater at the moon’s south pole.Standing about 26 feet (8 meters) tall, the lander is designed to deliver heavy cargo to the lunar surface and will fly atop the company’s New Glenn rocket. MK1 is the largest commercial lunar cargo lander ever built, capable of carrying significantly more payload than any of the vehicles sponsored by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Although uncrewed, the mission will test pr …
