Countdown 2026: The space missions everyone will be watching

After decades of waiting, NASA prepares to send humans around the Moon again. Artemis II isn’t about planting flags—it’s about stress-testing life support, navigation, and human endurance before the real lunar comeback begins.

The Orion spacecraft carries more than astronauts—it carries NASA’s credibility. Engineers say Artemis II will decide whether the capsule is truly ready for deep space or still needs years of refinement before landing humans on the Moon.

India’s ambitions move from planning to proof as ISRO launches Gaganyaan G1. With humanoid robot Vyommitra onboard, the mission will quietly answer one question: can India safely send humans to space?

Beyond human flight, ISRO’s packed 2026 manifest—EOS and GISAT missions—signals something bigger. Analysts say Earth-observation dominance and strategic surveillance are now as critical as headline-grabbing crewed missions.

Before humans dream of Mars, SpaceX plans to send cargo. Starship’s Mars test flights will probe the planet’s thin atmosphere, risky landings, and heat shields—data that could make or break future crewed missions.

While Mars grabs attention, SpaceX quietly keeps the space economy alive. Crew-12 to the ISS ensures continuity for global science, proving that routine astronaut transport is now an industrial service, not an experiment.

China’s Chang’e-7 mission targets the Moon’s south pole, where shadows may hide water ice. Planetary scientists say whoever masters these regions controls the future logistics of lunar bases and long-term exploration.

China’s Xuntian telescope will orbit alongside Tiangong, scanning the universe with precision. Astronomers say it reflects a shift: space stations are no longer just labs—they’re platforms for frontier science.

While others chase the Moon and Mars, European Space Agency looks outward. PLATO will hunt Earth-like exoplanets, while Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s MMX mission aims to bring back samples from Mars’s moon Phobos.