Future space missions to watch

With advancements in technology and growing interest from both government agencies and private companies, humanity is on the brink of exploring deeper into the cosmos than ever before. Here are some of the most exciting future space missions to keep an eye on.

1. Artemis Program (NASA)

NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence there. The program's first phase, Artemis I, was an uncrewed mission that successfully tested the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS). The next key missions include:

Artemis II (2025) – The first crewed mission, which will send astronauts around the Moon.

Artemis III (2026) – The first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, with plans to land near the lunar South Pole.

Artemis IV and Beyond (2028+) – These missions will contribute to building the Lunar Gateway, a space station orbiting the Moon, supporting long-term exploration and paving the way for human Mars missions.

2. Europa Clipper (NASA)

Scheduled for launch in October 2024, NASA's Europa Clipper will explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, which is believed to have a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. Scientists suspect this ocean could harbor conditions suitable for life. The spacecraft will conduct multiple flybys, analyzing Europa’s ice, atmosphere, and potential plumes of water vapor.

3. Mars Sample Return (NASA & ESA)

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are collaborating on the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, an ambitious effort to bring Martian soil and rock samples back to Earth. The Perseverance rover is already collecting samples, and future missions, expected in the early 2030s, will retrieve and return them. This mission could offer groundbreaking insights into Mars’ history and potential signs of past life.

4. Starship Missions (SpaceX)

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is developing Starship, a fully reusable spacecraft designed for deep-space travel. With its massive payload capacity, Starship could revolutionize space exploration. Key upcoming missions include:

Starship Orbital Test Flights (2024-2025) – Continuing development and testing of the world’s most powerful rocket.

DearMoon Mission (2025-2026) – A private lunar flyby mission funded by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, featuring artists and content creators.

NASA’s Artemis Lunar Landings (2026+) – Starship will serve as the Human Landing System (HLS) for Artemis III and later missions.

Mars Missions (late 2020s-2030s) – SpaceX envisions sending humans to Mars with Starship, possibly within the next decade.

5. James Webb Space Telescope Science Missions

Although launched in 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) continues to redefine our understanding of the universe. Future planned observations include:

Studying exoplanet atmospheres for signs of habitability.

Exploring the earliest galaxies to form after the Big Bang.

Investigating the chemical composition of distant planets.

JWST’s findings over the next decade could lead to profound discoveries about the nature of the cosmos.

6. Dragonfly (NASA)

NASA’s Dragonfly mission, set for launch in 2027, will send a nuclear-powered drone to Saturn’s moon Titan. Titan has lakes of liquid methane and a thick atmosphere, making it one of the most Earth-like worlds in the solar system. Dragonfly will hop across Titan’s surface, analyzing its chemistry and searching for potential prebiotic conditions.

7. Chinese Lunar and Mars Missions

China’s space agency (CNSA) has aggressive plans for the Moon and Mars:

Chang’e 6 (2024-2025) – A robotic mission to return lunar samples, focusing on the Moon’s far side.

Tianwen-3 (late 2020s) – A Mars sample return mission similar to NASA’s MSR.

Chinese Crewed Lunar Mission (2030) – China aims to send astronauts to the Moon, establishing a research station by the 2030s.

8. NASA’s VERITAS & DAVINCI+ (Venus Missions)

Venus, often called Earth’s “evil twin,” will be the target of NASA’s upcoming VERITAS and DAVINCI+ missions:

VERITAS (2031) – Will map Venus’ surface and study its geology.

DAVINCI+ (2031) – Will send a probe into Venus’ atmosphere, analyzing its composition and structure.

These missions could unlock the mystery of why Venus evolved so differently from Earth.

9. LUVOIR & Habitable Worlds Observatory (Future NASA Missions)

NASA is planning next-generation space telescopes:

LUVOIR (2030s-2040s) – A proposed massive space telescope that could directly image Earth-like exoplanets.

Habitable Worlds Observatory (2040s) – A telescope designed to search for biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres.

These missions could help answer the ultimate question: Are we alone in the universe?

Conclusion

The next few decades will be a golden era for space exploration, with missions aiming to unlock the mysteries of the Moon, Mars, Europa, Titan, Venus, and beyond. Whether through robotic probes, space telescopes, or human exploration, these missions could redefine our place in the cosmos. Stay tuned for the future of space travel—it’s only Getting started!