The year 2026 will be a landmark moment in space exploration, marked by ambitious missions from multiple nations, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe and our place within it. From new telescopes capable of surveying billions of galaxies to the first human lunar flyby in decades, the anticipation within the global space science community is palpable.
The Next Generation of Cosmic Observatories
Several major missions planned for 2026 share a common goal: mapping the universe at unprecedented scales and tracing the evolution of planets, galaxies, and large cosmic structures over billions of years.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch as early as fall 2026. Unlike its predecessors, Roman will capture images of sky regions approximately 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope’s field of view, maintaining comparable sharpness. This will enable scientists to discover over 100,000 exoplanets, map billions of galaxies, and probe the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy – which together constitute 95% of the cosmos.
Roman also features a coronagraph, which can block out a star’s light to directly photograph orbiting planets. This technology could pave the way for future missions designed to search for signs of life on Earth-like worlds.
Europe’s PLATO mission, launching in December 2026, will monitor 200,000 stars for rocky planets in habitable zones while determining their ages. Meanwhile, China’s Xuntian space telescope is expected to launch in late 2026, boasting an image quality comparable to Hubble but with a field of view over 300 times larger. Xuntian’s unique co-orbit with China’s Tiangong space station will allow for astronaut-assisted servicing and potential life extension.
Combined with the ground-based Vera C. Rubin Observatory, these telescopes will provide a dynamic view of the cosmos, not just as it exists today but also as it evolves over time.
A Renewed Push for Human Spaceflight
Alongside robotic observatories, 2026 will also mark significant progress in human space exploration.
NASA’s Artemis II mission, slated for launch as early as April 2026, will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon and back – the first such mission since 1972. India is also preparing for a historic milestone with its Gaganyaan program, aiming to become the fourth nation to achieve independent human spaceflight. China will continue its regular crewed missions to its Tiangong space station, laying the groundwork for future lunar missions.
NASA is also increasingly relying on commercial spacecraft, such as SpaceX, to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, freeing up resources for deep-space missions. These efforts reflect a global push toward sustained human presence beyond Earth orbit.
Unveiling the Secrets of Rocky Worlds
Several missions will focus on understanding the origins and geology of rocky worlds, including our own solar system’s moons and planets.
Japan’s Martian Moons eXploration mission will travel to Mars in late 2026 to study Phobos and Deimos, collecting samples from Phobos for return to Earth by 2031. The mission could resolve whether these moons are captured asteroids or debris from ancient collisions with Mars.
China’s Chang’e 7 mission will target the moon’s south pole, a region believed to contain water ice, a potential resource for future lunar operations. The mission includes a lander, rover, and a “hopper” designed to explore permanently shadowed craters.
These missions highlight the growing synergy between planetary science and human exploration, as understanding planetary geology informs future resource utilization.
Protecting Earth from Space Weather
Beyond deep-space exploration, some missions will focus on understanding the space environment surrounding our planet. The solar wind magnetosphere ionosphere link explorer (SMILE), a joint ESA and Chinese Academy of Sciences mission launching in spring 2026, will provide the first global images of how Earth’s magnetic field responds to solar wind. This understanding is crucial for safeguarding satellites, navigation systems, power grids, and astronauts from disruptive space weather events.
Global Stakes and Collaboration
These missions unfold against a backdrop of growing geopolitical competition, particularly between the United States and China in the race to return humans to the moon. Yet, space science remains fundamentally collaborative. The Japanese Martian Moons eXploration mission carries instruments from NASA, ESA, and France, and international teams share data and expertise. The universe, ultimately, belongs to everyone.
The year 2026 represents a confluence of ambition, rivalry, and cooperation in space exploration. The work is global, and the sky is shared by all.
