Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos.

For the first time in more than 54 years, astronauts are training to travel to the vicinity of the Moon, perhaps within the next couple of months. NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other companies are poised to take major steps toward actually landing humans on the Moon, perhaps within a few years.

New rockets are slated to debut in 2026, and scientists hope to open new windows on the Universe. Here, we list the most anticipated space missions scheduled for this year, ranked according to our own anticipation for them. We also assess the chances of these missions actually happening in the next 12 months. Unless specified, we don’t assess the chances of a successful outcome.

1. Artemis II

Final preparations for the Artemis II mission are well underway at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft fully integrated inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Within a couple of weeks, the SLS rocket could roll to Launch Complex 39B for a countdown dress rehearsal. Then, perhaps in February, the Artemis II mission is scheduled to depart Florida’s Space Coast on a 10-day flight that will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth. This will be the first crew flight on the SLS rocket and Orion capsule. Even if delays prevent a launch in February, Artemis II is well-positioned to fly by spring or summer. Chance of Artemis II happening in 2026: 90 percent.