Space missions in 2026: NASA, ISRO, SpaceX and more
What's the story
The year 2026 is set to be a major milestone in space exploration, with several international agencies planning ambitious missions. NASA's Artemis program will reach a critical point with the Artemis II mission, a crewed lunar flyby. The mission will test the Orion spacecraft's life-support and navigation systems. This will be NASA's first crewed lunar mission in decades. But, what about other missions? Let's have a look.
Indian ambitions
ISRO's Gaganyaan G1 mission and strategic satellite launches
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is also gearing up for major milestones in 2026. The agency plans to launch the uncrewed Gaganyaan G1 mission by March. It will carry Vyommitra, a humanoid test robot, to validate the systems for future human spaceflight missions. Along with this, ISRO has lined up strategic satellite launches including EOS-5, EOS-10 and GISAT-1A missions.
Commercial ventures
SpaceX's Mars exploration and ISS support
SpaceX is also making strides toward Mars exploration next year. The company plans to launch Starship cargo missions to Mars, testing atmospheric entry and landing performance. This data will aid future crewed Mars missions. SpaceX will also support regular International Space Station operations with Crew-12 carrying four international astronauts aboard Falcon 9.
Chinese endeavors
China's Chang'e 7 and Xuntian space telescope missions
China is planning major scientific missions in 2026, including the Chang'e 7 lunar exploration. The mission will explore the Moon's south pole with an orbiter, lander, rover and flying probe. The main goal is to search for possible water ice deposits. China is also planning to launch the Xuntian space telescope which will work in tandem with the Tiangong space station.
European and Japanese missions
ESA's PLATO telescope mission and Japan's MMX project
The European Space Agency (ESA) is gearing up for a big 2026 with the launch of the PLATO telescope in December. The mission will look for Earth-like exoplanets. Meanwhile, Japan's Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission aims to collect samples from Phobos next year, further contributing to our understanding of space exploration and planetary science.