If you thought 2025 was an exciting year forspaceflightandcosmic discovery, just wait til 2026.
The past year was one filled withmonumental human missions to orbit, headline-grabbing experimental rocket launches, groundbreaking robotic missions to the moon andplenty of other stunning astral milestones.
Could the best be yet to come?
In the year ahead,NASA'sfirstastronaut moon mission since the 1970sandSpaceX'scontinued development of the world's largest rocket are just the tip of the iceberg in what could end up being a defining time for human spaceflight.
2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions
Here's a look at just six missions and updates to expect in 2026.
NASA's 1st human moon mission in more than 50 years
Four astronauts areon the verge of becoming the first humans to venture near the moonin more than half-a-century sine NASA's iconic Apollo era came to an end.
As early as February, the crew – NASA astronautsReid Wiseman,Victor Glover,Christina Kochand the Canadian Space Agency'sJeremy Hansen– will board the U.S. space agency's Orion capsule atopNASA's Space Launch System rocketfor a 10-day trip circumnavigating the moon under the Artemis program.
The mission, known as Artemis 2, will the lay the groundwork for a crewed moon landing in the years ahead during Artemis 3, which itself will help establish a permanent human lunar presence ahead of the first voyages to Mars.
Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch new version of Starship megarocket
SpaceX, whichlaunched its Starship rocket five times in 2025, is set to debut a new design of the massive spacecraft in 2026.
Known as Version 3 (or V3,)the next Starship could be the firstiteration to reach orbit and demonstrate the ability to refuel midflight – a necessary capability to reach distant destinations.
SpaceX, which billionaireElon Muskleads as CEO, has also announced it's working on a "simplified" planfor the world's largest rocket to land astronauts on the moon. NASA had in 2021 awarded a contract to SpaceX to develop a configuration of Starship that would meet astronauts in lunar orbit and ferry them to the surface.
Musk also has dreams of Starshipbeing the vehicle to help colonize Mars.
2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions
More astronauts headed to International Space Station
More astronauts are due to head to theInternational Space Stationas early as Feb. 15 as part of NASA's commercial crew program with SpaceX.
The four spacefarers, which will include two yet-unannounced NASA astronauts, are part ofa SpaceX mission known as Crew-12. When they reach the orbital outpost, they will ultimately replacethe contingent of Crew-11 astronautsand remain at the ISS for about six months, conducting scientific research and performing routine station maintenance.
Boeing Starliner to fly again – but with no crew this time
Boeing's infamousStarliner spacecraft could launch again in 2026– but this time with no humans on board.
NASA announced that it is working with Boeing towardan uncrewed launchof the Starliner capsule as early as April. And once again, the capsule is due to head to the International Space Station.
The mission would be the first for Boeing's Starliner spacecraftsince its failed maiden human test flightthat got off the ground in June 2024. CarryingNASA astronauts Butch Wilmoreand Suni Williams, the Starliner was meant to return to Earth from the ISS a few days after docking before a slew of technical issues forced NASA to render the vehicle unsafe.
Instead, Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth in March 2025 on a SpaceX Dragon capsule that reached the orbital outpost in September 2024 with two other spacefarers.
NASA plans series of robotic moon landings
In 2025, two uncrewed lunar landers manufactured by American companies made it to the moon's surface within just days of one another.
First, the Blue Ghost lander manufactured by Texas spaceflight company Firefly Aerospacelanded March 2 on the moon's Earth-facing side. It wasfollowed four days laterby Houston-based Intuitive Machines' Athena lander,which unfortunately tipped on its side, hindering much of its mission.
But in 2026, NASAhas even more robotic lunar landing missionsunder contract with not onlyFireflyandIntuitive Machines, butBlue Originand Pittsburgh-based aerospace companyAstrobotic, which wasbehind a failed moon mission in 2024.
2025 was a year of cosmic discoveries. Here's a look back at 6
What's next for Jeff Bezos' Amazon, Blue Origin after big year in space?
It's been a big year in space for billionaire Jeff Bezos.
His spaceflight company Blue Origin managed tolaunch its towering New Glenn rocket on two missionsfrom Florida, including the most recent on Nov. 13 that helped propel twin NASA orbiters to Mars. Meanwhile, in Texas, Blue Origin's smaller suborbital New Shepard rocket got off the ground onseven spaceflights transporting groups of passengersto the edge of space – including, famously, an all-women crew in April featuringpop musician Katy Perry and broadcast journalist Gayle King.
Amazon, which Bezos also founded, even got its own space-based program going. Initially called Project Kuiper,the venture known as Amazon Leohas deployed 180 of 3,000 broadband internet-beaming satellites planned for its first constellation that could challengeSpaceX's Starlink.
What's coming up in 2026? Expect more New Shepard launches and, perhaps, thedebut of an even bigger New Glennas Blue Originreportedlyseeks certification for national security missions.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 space missions include moon trip, new SpaceX megarocket
