Here are the launches and landings we’re most excited about in 2026
Artemis II: NASA's Artemis II mission is set to depart Florida's Space Coast in February 2026, carrying astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. This mission will be the first crew flight on the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, with a 90% chance of launching in 2026.
Starship refueling demo: SpaceX's Starship refueling demo will involve two Starship launches from Texas, with a 50% chance of launching in 2026. This mission is key to unlocking Starship's ability to travel beyond low-Earth orbit.
Starship catch: SpaceX plans to catch its rocket with giant mechanical arms, a major leap toward making Starship fully reusable. This mission has a 70% chance of launching in 2026.
Blue Moon Mark 1: Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 cargo lander will become the largest spacecraft to ever set down on the lunar surface. This mission has a 70% chance of launching in 2026.
Rocket Lab's Neutron debut: Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket will open new markets for the company, with a 50% chance of launching in 2026.
Stoke's Nova rocket: Stoke's Nova rocket has a 30% chance of launching in 2026, with a first flight scheduled for 2026.
China's Moon ship: China's Mengzhou spacecraft is set to launch in 2026, with a 60% chance of launching in 2026.
China's reusable rocket: China's Zhuque-3 rocket has a 60% chance of making a successful landing in 2026.
Haven-1: Vast's Haven-1 space station has a 30% chance of launching in 2026, with a launch scheduled for May 2026.
NASA's Roman Space Telescope: NASA's Roman Space Telescope will have a 100 times larger field of view than the Hubble Space Telescope, with a 80% chance of launching in 2026.
China's Chang'e 7 mission: China's Chang'e 7 mission will attempt to set down in the Moon's south pole region, with a 80% chance of launching in 2026.
Europe's commercial launchers: Europe's small launch companies have a 20% chance of reaching orbit in 2026.
Terran R's first flight: Relativity Space's Terran R rocket has a 10% chance of launching in 2026.
Firefly's Eclipse: Firefly Aerospace's Eclipse rocket has a 20% chance of launching in 2026.
IM-3 and Vestri: Intuitive Machines' IM-3 lander has a 50% chance of launching in 2026.
Blue Ghost Mission 2: Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 2 has a 10% chance of launching in 2026.
America's first geosynchronous refueler: Astroscale's refueler has a 50% chance of launching in 2026.
Europe's Plato mission: Europe's Plato mission has a 60% chance of launching in 2026.
Gaganyaan orbital test flight: India's Gaganyaan program has a 30% chance of launching in 2026.
Japan's Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission: Japan's MMX mission has an 80% chance of launching in 2026.
