ESA is heading to the Moon, asteroids, and Mercury in 2026
The European Space Agency (ESA) just announced a big lineup of space missions for 2026.
They're sending satellites and spacecraft to the Moon, an asteroid system, and even Mercury—all to boost Europe's role in space exploration and help us learn more about our planet and beyond.
What's launching and why it matters
First up: the Celeste Constellation will launch 10 satellites to complement Europe's Galileo navigation system.
In February, ESA's Hera mission will perform a deep space maneuver en route to the Didymos asteroid duo for planetary defense research.
April brings a crewed lunar flyby as part of NASA's Artemis II, with ESA providing the European Service Module for life support and propulsion.
Later in the year, new Galileo satellites will go up; MetOp-SG B1 will improve weather and climate tracking; BepiColombo aims for Mercury to study its surface, magnetic field, and exosphere; and December wraps with PLATO searching for exoplanets and studying their host stars.
These missions are all about better navigation, weather forecasts, planetary safety—and maybe finding new worlds out there.