2026 Will Open a New Era of Human Space Exploration
- Yul So
- Jan 25
- 2 min read
Jan 25, 2026
Yul So
The year 2026 is expected to become a major turning point in the history of space exploration. For the first time in more than 50 years, humans will fly around the Moon. Spacecraft will enter Mercury’s orbit, collect samples from a moon of Mars, and closely study asteroids, the Sun, and space weather. Government agencies and private companies will undertake ambitious missions simultaneously, marking what many scientists call a new golden age of space exploration.
One of the most historic events will be NASA’s Artemis II mission. Planned for early 2026, it will send four astronauts around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. This will be the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission will test life support systems, propulsion, and deep space operations that are essential for future Moon landings and eventual missions to Mars. At the same time, China plans to launch Chang’e 7 to explore the Moon’s south pole, a region believed to contain water ice that could support future lunar bases.
Mars and asteroids will also be key targets. Japan’s space agency will launch the MMX mission to study Mars’ moons and return samples from Phobos, helping scientists understand how these moons formed and how they could support future human missions. Europe’s Hera spacecraft will closely examine an asteroid system that was intentionally struck in a planetary defense test, improving Earth’s ability to respond to potential asteroid threats.
In the inner solar system, the BepiColombo mission will finally enter Mercury’s orbit after a long journey, revealing new details about the planet’s surface, core, and magnetic field. Meanwhile, missions like SunRISE and India’s Aditya L1 will closely observe the Sun during a period of intense solar activity, improving space weather forecasts that protect satellites, astronauts, and power systems on Earth.
