Upcoming 2026 Space Events

Two astronauts will replace a high-definition camera on camera port 3, install a new navigational aid for visiting spacecraft, called a planar reflector, on the Harmony module’s forward port, and relocate an early ammonia servicer jumper — a flexible hose assembly that connects parts of a fluid system — along with other jumpers on the station’s S6 and S4 truss.

13th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. Second flight of Starship V3

Contracted by NASA under the Small Business Innovation Research Phase 3 contract, Katalyst Space Technologies' LINK servicing spacecraft will rendezvous and attach to NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to re-boost its orbit. This aims to demonstrate a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission’s science lifetime in gamma ray astronomy.

Soyuz MS-29 will carry three cosmonauts and one astronaut to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The crew consists of Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, as well as NASA astronaut Anil Menon.

As part of its mission extension, JAXA's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will observe S-type asteroid (98943) Torifune during a high-speed fly-by.

The Perseids meteor shower peaks under favorable New Moon conditions, creating strong viewing opportunities across much of the world.

A total solar eclipse visible from parts of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain.

35th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

Chang'e 7/CE-7 is scheduled to launch in 2026, including an orbiter, a lander, a mini-hopping probe, and a rover. The mission will land in the South Pole regions of the Moon to study lunar surface environment around the South Pole, especially in looking for water ice in lunar soil.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA infrared space telescope with a 2.4 m (7.9 ft) wide field of view primary mirror and two scientific instruments. The Wide-Field Instrument (WFI) is a 300.8-megapixel multi-band visible and near-infrared camera, providing a sharpness of images comparable to that achieved by the Hubble Space Telescope over a 0.28 square degree field of view, 100 times larger than imaging cameras on the Hubble. The Coronagraphic Instrument (CGI) is a high-contrast, s

SpaceX Crew-13 is the thirteenth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

First flight of Blue Origin's Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander, MK1-SN001 "Endurance".

The Draconids meteor shower reaches its expected peak.

The Orionids meteor shower peaks as Earth passes through debris left by Halley’s Comet.

MMX is a Japanese scientific mission to land on Phobos, one of the two moons of Mars, to collect samples before bringing them back to Earth. The mission includes a small French/German rover to explore the surface of Phobos.

The Taurids meteor shower reaches its expected peak.

The Leonids meteor shower reaches its expected peak.

The Geminids meteor shower peaks, known for bright meteors that can appear green.

A Christmas Eve full Moon occurs near its closest point to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than average.

2nd lunar lander developed by Firefly Aerospace. The Blue Ghost lander will be of a new two-stage version utilizing an Elytra Dark transfer vehicle to place it and the European Space Agency's Lunar Pathfinder experimental communication satellite into Lunar orbit. The lander will land on the far side of the Moon with 2 NASA payloads: * Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment (LuSEE-Night) * User Terminal (UT)

This is the 25th flight of the Orbital ATK's uncrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and its 24th flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA.

Demonstration flight of the Astrobotic Griffin lander and its engines, initially contracted for the cancelled NASA VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission. The vacated payload spot will now host the FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) lunar rover from Astrolab.

First uncrewed orbital test flight of the Gaganyaan capsule.

Starliner-1 is the first operational flight of a Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Due to problems with the Starliner spacecraft's RCS attitude control system during the Crew Flight Test mission in 2024, this mission has been re-scoped to not carry a crew by NASA. It will instead deliver necessary cargo to the orbital laboratory and allow in-flight validation of the system upgrades implemented following the Crew Flight Test missio