Space Missions
Track active and historical missions exploring our solar system and beyond
Active & Planned Missions
Dragonfly
NASA's revolutionary rotorcraft mission to Saturn's moon Titan passed its critical design review in April 2025 and remains on track for July 2028 launch. Dragonfly will be the first aircraft to explore another world, flying to multiple locations on Titan to study prebiotic chemistry and search for signs of life. Total mission cost: $3.35 billion.
Key Objectives:
Search for chemical biosignatures on Titan • Investigate moon's active methane cycle • Study prebiotic chemistry in organic-rich environment • Characterize surface geology and composition • Demonstrate powered flight on another world
Artemis II
The first crewed mission of the Artemis program, scheduled for no earlier than February 5, 2026 (delayed from 2025). Artemis II will send four astronauts on a lunar flyby, including CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who will become the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit. The mission will test all Orion systems with crew aboard.
Key Objectives:
First crewed test of Orion spacecraft and SLS • Lunar flyby demonstrating deep space crew operations • Test life support and crew systems • Validate heat shield performance on lunar return • Pave way for Artemis III lunar landing
Gaganyaan
India's first crewed spaceflight program is approximately 90% complete as of October 2025. The first uncrewed test flight is scheduled for December 2025, with the goal of sending Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit. ISRO successfully completed the first docking test for the program in January 2025 with the SpaDeX mission.
Key Objectives:
Demonstrate indigenous human spaceflight capability • Send 2-3 Indian astronauts to 400km orbit • Conduct microgravity experiments • Demonstrate orbital rendezvous and docking • Establish foundation for future space station
Europa Clipper
Launched in October 2024, Europa Clipper is en route to Jupiter's moon Europa. The spacecraft performed a Mars gravity-assist flyby on March 1, 2025, approaching within 884 kilometers to gain velocity for its 2030 arrival. The mission will study Europa's ice shell and subsurface ocean for signs of habitability.
Key Objectives:
Confirm the presence and characteristics of subsurface ocean • Study ice shell thickness and surface geology • Determine composition of surface materials • Characterize global and regional properties • Assess habitability potential of Europa's ocean
Psyche
Launched in October 2023, Psyche is traveling to a unique metal-rich asteroid. After experiencing propulsion issues in April 2025 (resolved by switching to backup fuel line in June), the mission is back on track. Psyche will fly by Mars in May 2026 before reaching the asteroid Psyche in 2029 to study what may be an exposed planetary core.
Key Objectives:
Study metallic asteroid 16 Psyche • Investigate possible exposed planetary core • Understand planetary differentiation processes • Test solar electric propulsion technology • Map surface composition and topography
JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer)
ESA's JUICE mission, launched in April 2023, is en route to Jupiter with arrival planned for 2031. The spacecraft will study Jupiter's largest moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—focusing on their potential subsurface oceans and habitability. It will eventually enter orbit around Ganymede, the first spacecraft to orbit a moon other than Earth's.
Key Objectives:
Characterize Ganymede as potential habitat • Explore Europa and Callisto oceans • Study Jupiter system as archetype for gas giants • Investigate moon surface and subsurface properties • First orbit of moon other than Earth's Moon
James Webb Space Telescope
JWST is the most powerful space telescope ever built, operating at the L2 Lagrange point. Launched in 2021, it has revolutionized astronomy with infrared observations of distant galaxies, exoplanets, and stellar nurseries. Recent discoveries include Population III star candidates and refined measurements of the Hubble constant.
Key Objectives:
Observe first galaxies formed after the Big Bang • Study formation and evolution of galaxies • Understand star and planetary system formation • Study planetary systems and origins of life • Detect and characterize exoplanet atmospheres
Lucy
NASA's Lucy mission is on a 12-year journey to explore Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. In April 2025, Lucy successfully flew by the asteroid Donaldjohanson at 960 km distance. The spacecraft will reach its first main target, Eurybates, in August 2027, providing first-ever close-up observations of these primitive remnants of planetary formation.
Key Objectives:
Explore diversity of Jupiter Trojan asteroids • Study primitive solar system formation remnants • Investigate surface geology, composition, and density • Understand early solar system dynamics • Fly by 8 different asteroids including main belt and Trojans
Perseverance Mars Rover
NASA's Perseverance rover has been exploring Jezero Crater since February 2021 (Sol 1690 as of November 2025). The rover has collected 33 of 43 sample tubes containing potential biosignatures and is currently exploring the Northern Rim to study ancient Martian geology. A major 2025 discovery found potential biosignatures in the "Sapphire Canyon" sample.
Key Objectives:
Search for signs of ancient microbial life on Mars • Collect and cache rock and soil samples for future return to Earth • Test technologies for future human missions • Study Martian geology and climate • Demonstrate Ingenuity helicopter flight on Mars
Tianwen-1 Orbiter
China's first successful Mars mission continues to operate in orbit. In 2025, the Tianwen-1 orbiter used its HiRIC camera to image comet 3I/ATLAS, demonstrating ongoing scientific operations. While the Zhurong rover failed to wake from hibernation in 2022, the orbiter remains active studying Mars' atmosphere and surface.
Key Objectives:
Study Martian topography and geological structure • Investigate surface soil characteristics and water ice • Analyze atmospheric composition and climate • Study electromagnetic and gravitational fields • Support communication for surface rover operations
Chang'e-4
China's Chang'e-4 mission continues operating on the far side of the Moon, having landed in January 2019. Both the lander and Yutu-2 rover remain functional as of 2025, making this the longest-operating mission on the lunar surface and the only active mission on the Moon's far side.
Key Objectives:
First soft landing on far side of the Moon • Study lunar far side geology • Investigate subsurface structure with ground-penetrating radar • Conduct radio astronomy observations shielded from Earth interference • Test biological experiments in lunar environment
BepiColombo
A joint ESA-JAXA mission to Mercury, BepiColombo is currently in cruise phase performing flybys of Venus and Mercury to reach its target orbit. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft will arrive at Mercury in 2026, where it will deploy two orbiters to study the planet's composition, interior, magnetosphere, and exosphere.
Key Objectives:
Study Mercury's composition and interior structure • Investigate magnetosphere and exosphere • Test Einstein's theory of general relativity • Understand Mercury's origin and evolution • Map surface composition and topography
Parker Solar Probe
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is revolutionizing our understanding of the Sun. On December 24, 2024, it made its closest approach to the Sun at just 3.8 million miles from the surface, surviving temperatures exceeding 1,400°C. The mission studies solar wind, magnetic fields, and the corona.
Key Objectives:
Trace the flow of energy heating the solar corona • Determine structure and dynamics of Sun's magnetic fields • Explore mechanisms that accelerate solar wind and energetic particles • Make unprecedented close observations of solar atmosphere
OSIRIS-APEX
Formerly OSIRIS-REx after successfully returning samples from asteroid Bennu in September 2023, the spacecraft was renamed OSIRIS-APEX (Apophis Explorer). Currently on a journey to asteroid Apophis, the spacecraft survived its second close perihelion pass in January 2025, enduring extreme heat. It will reach Apophis in April 2029.
Key Objectives:
Study changes to asteroid Apophis after Earth flyby • Observe surface modifications from tidal forces • Characterize Apophis composition and structure • Demonstrate extended mission capability • Investigate potentially hazardous asteroid properties
Curiosity Mars Rover
NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring Gale Crater since August 2012 (Sol 4725 as of November 2025). The rover recently drilled its 44th hole on Mars and began its fifth extended mission in October 2025, which will last until 2028. Curiosity continues to study the "boxwork unit" and ancient Martian habitability.
Key Objectives:
Determine whether Mars ever had conditions suitable for life • Study the role of water in Mars' history • Characterize Martian climate and geology • Prepare for human exploration of Mars • Investigate Mount Sharp's layered sediments
Juno
Juno is NASA's mission to Jupiter, currently the only active spacecraft orbiting the gas giant. Since arriving in 2016, Juno has studied Jupiter's atmosphere, magnetosphere, gravitational field, and auroras, providing unprecedented insights into the planet's composition and interior structure.
Key Objectives:
Understand Jupiter's origin and evolution • Determine water and ammonia abundance in atmosphere • Study Jupiter's gravitational and magnetic fields • Explore polar magnetosphere and auroras • Investigate deep atmospheric dynamics
New Horizons
After its historic Pluto flyby in 2015 and Arrokoth encounter in 2019, New Horizons continues exploring the Kuiper Belt. As of September 2025, the spacecraft is 5.7 billion miles from Earth and entered its longest hibernation period on August 7, 2025. It remains healthy and continues studying the outer solar system.
Key Objectives:
Explore Kuiper Belt objects beyond Pluto • Study interplanetary dust and solar wind in outer solar system • Characterize Kuiper Belt environment • Continue heliospheric studies • Search for additional flyby targets
Voyager 1
Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 is the most distant human-made object from Earth, currently in interstellar space at over 15.7 billion miles from Earth. The probe has been operating for over 45 years and continues to transmit data about the heliosphere and interstellar medium.
Key Objectives:
Study the outer planets Jupiter and Saturn • Explore interstellar space beyond the heliopause • Measure cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and plasma in interstellar medium • Continue transmitting scientific data until power systems fail (expected 2030s)
Voyager 2
Launched in 1977, Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited all four outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). It entered interstellar space in November 2018 and continues to operate, currently over 13 billion miles from Earth.
Key Objectives:
Study Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Grand Tour mission) • Explore interstellar space • Measure properties of the heliosphere boundary • Study cosmic rays and magnetic fields beyond the solar system
Recently Completed Missions
SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)
Completed January 19, 2024. JAXA's lunar lander achieved the world's first "pinpoint landing" on the Moon, touching down just 55 meters from its target—a precision unprecedented in space exploration. This made Japan the fifth country to achieve a soft lunar landing. Despite landing upside-down, SLIM successfully conducted its science mission.
OSIRIS-REx Sample Return
Sample return completed September 24, 2023. NASA's first asteroid sample return mission successfully collected material from asteroid Bennu and delivered it to Earth. The 250-gram sample, the largest asteroid sample ever returned, contains pristine material from the early solar system and is being studied for insights into solar system formation and the origins of life.
Chandrayaan-3
Completed August 23, 2023. India's third lunar exploration mission successfully achieved a soft landing near the lunar south pole, making ISRO the fourth space agency to land on the Moon and the first to land in the south polar region. The Vikram lander and Pragyan rover conducted scientific experiments for one lunar day.
InSight Mars Lander
Operated from November 2018 to December 2022. NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport mission studied Mars' interior structure. InSight detected over 1,300 marsquakes, deployed the first seismometer on another planet, and provided unprecedented data about Mars' core, mantle, and crust before power loss ended the mission.
Artemis I
Completed December 11, 2022. The first integrated flight test of NASA's Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. The uncrewed mission successfully orbited the Moon and returned to Earth, validating critical systems for future crewed Artemis missions.
DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test)
Completed September 26, 2022. NASA's planetary defense test mission successfully impacted asteroid Dimorphos, changing its orbit around Didymos. The kinetic impact altered Dimorphos' orbital period by 33 minutes, demonstrating humanity's ability to deflect potentially hazardous asteroids. ESA's Hera mission will return to study the impact site in 2024.
Hayabusa2
Completed December 2020. JAXA's asteroid sample return mission successfully returned samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth. The mission collected 5.4 grams of pristine material from both the surface and subsurface (created by an impactor), providing invaluable insights into early solar system composition and organic chemistry.