In 2026, the final elements of a multi-year Mars sample-return mission is planned to be launched by NASA and ESA. | |
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This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the year 2026.
In 2026, as part of a Mars sample-return mission, NASA plans to launch the Sample Retrieval Lander. Later in the year, the European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch the Earth Return Orbiter, which will transport the retrieved samples from Mars to Earth.
NASA's NEO Surveyor, scheduled to launch in the first half of 2026, is expected to be capable of detecting at least 90% of near-Earth objects larger than 140 meters (460 ft), a goal mandated by the US Congress in 2005.[1]
Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | ||||
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Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) |
Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | |||
Remarks | ||||||||
March[edit] | ||||||||
March (TBD)[3] | ![]() |
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NASA | Selenocentric (NRHO) | Crewed Gateway expedition | |||||
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ESA | Selenocentric (NRHO) | Lunar Gateway component | |||||
Third crewed Orion flight. First launch of the SLS Block 1B variant with the Exploration Upper Stage. Delivery of I-HAB to the Lunar Gateway.[2] | ||||||||
June[edit] | ||||||||
H1 2026 (TBD)[6] | ![]() |
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NASA | Sun–Earth L1 | Infrared astronomy Near-Earth object detection |
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Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission (NEOSM).[5] | ||||||||
July[edit] | ||||||||
July (TBD)[7][8] | ![]() |
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NASA / ESA | TMI to Martian surface | Mars sample-return | |||||
Lander component of the NASA–ESA Mars sample-return mission. It will carry ESA's Sample Fetch Rover and NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle. | ||||||||
October[edit] | ||||||||
October (TBD)[7][8] | ![]() |
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ESA | Areocentric | Mars sample-return | |||||
Orbiter component of the NASA–ESA Mars sample-return mission. It will collect the sample return canister delivered into orbit by the Mars Ascent Vehicle and carry it back to Earth. | ||||||||
To be determined[edit] | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[10] | ![]() |
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Roscosmos | Low Earth | Communications | |||||
Maiden flight of Amur, a partially reusable methane-powered launch vehicle. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[12] | ![]() |
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Roscosmos | Low Earth | Crewed flight test | |||||
2026 (TBD)[13] | ![]() |
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ESA | Sun–Earth L2 | Exoplanetary science | |||||
2026 (TBD)[15] | ![]() |
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JAXA | Low Earth | Technology demonstration | |||||
2026 (TBD)[16] | ![]() |
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JAXA | Low Earth (SSO) | Heliophysics | |||||
Extreme Ultraviolet High-Throughput Spectroscopic Telescope Epsilon Mission. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[18] | ![]() |
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SpaceX / NASA | Selenocentric (NRHO) | Gateway logistics | |||||
Second Dragon XL resupply mission to the Lunar Gateway. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[15] | ![]() |
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CIRO | Low Earth (SSO) | Reconnaissance | |||||
2026 (TBD)[19] | ![]() |
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CNSA | Low Earth | Flight test | |||||
First flight of China's triple-core crew launch vehicle for moon missions. Previously known as the 921 rocket. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[20] | ![]() |
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TBA | Low Earth (SSO) | TBA | |||||
Fifth planned launch of Nuri, and the first with solely commercial payloads. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[21] | ![]() |
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Roscosmos | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation | |||||
2026 (TBD)[23] | ![]() |
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Roscosmos | Molniya | Meteorology | |||||
H2 2026 (TBD)[26][27] | ![]() |
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ESA | Low Earth (SSO) | Earth observation | |||||
Ninth Earth Explorer mission for ESA's Living Planet Programme. FORUM is baselined for launch on the Vega-C, and will fly in a loose sun-synchronous formation with MetOp-SG A1.[25] | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[28] | ![]() |
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TBA | ESA | Low Earth | Flight test | |||||
First flight of Vega-E. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[29] | ![]() |
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Axiom Space | Low Earth (ISS) | ISS assembly / Commercial habitat | |||||
Third Axiom module. | ||||||||
2026 (TBD)[30][31] | ![]() |
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RSCC | Geosynchronous | Communications | |||||
2026 (TBD)[32] | ![]() |
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U.S. Space Force | Medium Earth | Navigation | |||||
First GPS IIIF satellite. A total of 22 GPS satellites are planned to be launched from 2026 to 2034. |
Date and time (UTC) | Rocket | Flight number | Launch site | LSP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Payload (⚀ = CubeSat) |
Operator | Orbit | Function | Decay (UTC) | Outcome | ||
Remarks | |||||||
March (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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DLR / SNSA | Suborbital | Education | ||||
March (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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DLR / SNSA | Suborbital | Education | ||||
September (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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DLR | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
October (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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SSC | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
SubOrbital Express Microgravity flight opportunity 18. | |||||||
November (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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DLR / ESA | Suborbital | Microgravity research | ||||
November (TBD)[33] | ![]() |
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DLR / ESA | Suborbital | Microgravity research |
Date (UTC) | Spacecraft | Event | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
July | Hayabusa2 | Flyby of (98943) 2001 CC21[34] |
Start Date/Time | Duration | End Time | Spacecraft | Crew | Remarks |
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For the purposes of this section, the yearly tally of orbital launches by country assigns each flight to the country of origin of the rocket, not to the launch services provider or the spaceport. For example, Soyuz launches by Arianespace in Kourou are counted under Russia because Soyuz-2 is a Russian rocket.
Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures |
Remarks |
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Family | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
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Rocket | Country | Family | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
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Rocket | Country | Type | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
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Site | Country | Launches | Successes | Failures | Partial failures | Remarks |
---|
Orbital regime | Launches | Achieved | Not achieved | Accidentally achieved |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transatmospheric | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Low Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Geosynchronous / transfer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Medium Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
High Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Heliocentric orbit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Including planetary transfer orbits |