The Next Five Years in Space: 37 Current Missions Transforming Humanity’s Future

Home General The Next Five Years in Space: 37 Current Missions Transforming Humanity’s Future

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By Chu E. - April 3, 2025

From massive rockets to tiny satellites, these 37 space missions will transform our understanding of the cosmos and humanity’s place within it over the next decade. Scientists and engineers worldwide are racing to explore our solar system and beyond, with pioneering technologies that will lead us back to the Moon, forward to Mars, and deep into the mysteries of our universe.

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Starship Orbital Test Flights (2025-2026)

SpaceX continues pushing Starship toward regular orbital flights. The massive vehicle will refine its 33 Raptor engines that can lift 150 tons to orbit. Engineers focus on mid-air engine reignition and precision landings on ocean platforms like Phobos and Deimos. SpaceX aims to slash launch costs below $10 million per flight, making space access dramatically cheaper for everyone.

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Starship Propellant Transfer Demo (Summer 2025)

Two Starships will meet 400 km above Earth to perform a critical dance. They’ll transfer 1,200 tons of cryogenic methane and oxygen between them over several hours. This test tackles the challenge of preventing fuel boil-off in space. Success here unlocks the door to deep space travel and makes lunar missions possible by enabling orbital refueling.

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Artemis III: Starship HLS Lunar Landing (2027)

NASA astronauts will touch lunar soil for the first time since Apollo, landing near the South Pole’s Shackleton Crater. The Starship Human Landing System offers a spacious 1,000 cubic feet cabin with an airlock for moonwalks. Crews will deploy solar-powered science packages to study seismic activity and ice deposits during their week-long stay on the surface.

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Artemis IV: Gateway and Starship (2028)

Four astronauts will dock Starship with the Lunar Gateway station. This enables month-long surface explorations from the orbital outpost. A prototype rover will scout 20 km of territory, seeking locations for a permanent Moon base. The international crew will conduct experiments from partners like ESA and JAXA on radiation shielding and growing plants in lunar gravity.

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Starship Cargo Lunar Landers (2029+)

Massive 50-meter tall Human-class Delivery Landers will ferry 100-ton payloads to the Moon. Six Raptor engines will soft-land these behemoths near Artemis Base Camp. Their cargo includes Bigelow Aerospace habitats and 50 kW solar arrays for continuous daytime power. These regular supply drops will transform temporary visits into a semi-permanent lunar outpost by 2032.

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Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Demo (2025)

Blue Origin’s lunar lander will deliver 3.3 tons of cargo to the highlands after launching on New Glenn. The spacecraft carries a seismometer and dust mitigation experiment. Its BE-7 engine produces 10,000 pounds of hydrogen-oxygen thrust for precise touchdown. The mission puts Blue Origin’s navigation system to the test, aiming to land within 100 meters of its target.

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Blue Moon Mark 2 Crewed Landing (Artemis V, 2030)

This reusable lander will carry four astronauts to the Malapert Massif region. Its spacious crew module features panoramic windows for breathtaking views. Astronauts will collect 50 kg of lunar samples for Earth analysis. The descent stage can be reused 15 times. Lockheed Martin’s ascent vehicle ensures safe return to Gateway after surface operations.

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Intuitive Machines IM-2 (February 2025)

The Nova-C “Athena” lander will drill a meter into lunar soil at the South Pole. It carries NASA’s PRIME-1 experiment to extract and analyze ice from Nobile Crater. A tiny 2-kg rover will explore the landing zone, sending back 4K video of the icy terrain. Data from this mission will shape future efforts to produce water, oxygen, and fuel from lunar resources.

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Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost 1 (March 2025)

This commercial lander targets Mare Crisium with 10 NASA payloads. Scientists will study how lunar soil sticks to surfaces and measure radiation levels from solar particles. A thermometer will track soil temperature changes throughout the 14-day lunar day. Blue Ghost 1 will beam all its findings back to Earth via X-band radio signals.

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Hakuto-R Mission 2 (Mid-2025)

Japan’s lander will touch down in Mare Frigoris, releasing a 10-kg rover named Tenacious. The spacecraft uses a solid rocket motor for its final descent, aiming to land within a 500-meter target zone. The rover will test new wheel designs for moving through loose moon dust. This mission builds on earlier attempts to refine Japan’s lunar technology.

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Lunar Trailblazer (2025-2026)

This compact 200-kg satellite will orbit 100 km above the Moon. Its infrared spectrometer will create maps showing water distribution across the surface. The High-Resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper can detect water concentrations as low as 1%. This information will guide Artemis planners to choose landing sites near ice-rich regions for future resource use.

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Artemis VI and Beyond: Starship Evolution (2030s)

Advanced Starships will support larger crews and more ambitious lunar construction projects. They’ll feature reinforced heat shields and expanded cabins for 12 astronauts. A 100-meter radio telescope will be deployed on the far side, shielded from Earth’s radio noise. By 2035, these missions could support a rotating crew of 20 people at a permanent Moon base.

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China’s Chang’e 7 (2026)

China will send an orbiter, lander, and rover to study the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The orbiter’s LIDAR system will map topography with 1-meter resolution over a year-long mission. A 50-kg rover will use ground-penetrating radar to search for ice up to 10 meters below the surface. This mission advances China’s plans for a research station by 2035.

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Chang’e 8 (2028)

This Chinese mission will test 3D printing with lunar soil. The lander carries a 100-kg payload including a mini-furnace that melts regolith at 1,200°C to produce small building bricks. A solar-powered unit will split water ice into oxygen and hydrogen for fuel testing. Chang’e 8 lays groundwork for the International Lunar Research Station built with Russian collaboration.

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Russia’s Luna 26 (2027)

Russia’s lunar orbiter will map the surface from 150 km altitude. Its gamma-ray spectrometer will detect mineral deposits during an 18-month mission. The spacecraft carries a magnetometer to study the Moon’s weak magnetic field and its interaction with solar wind. Luna 26 helps Russia prepare for its contribution to the International Lunar Research Station.

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Luna 27 (2028)

This Russian lander will drill two meters into the South Pole near Boguslawsky Crater. The European-built Prospector drill will extract samples for an onboard mass spectrometer. Radioisotope heaters will power the spacecraft through the year-long mission. Scientists will use the data to create detailed maps of lunar water distribution for planning future resource use.

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James Webb Space Telescope (Ongoing-2030s)

Webb continues revolutionizing astronomy with its 6.5-meter gold-plated mirror. The Near-Infrared Camera captures images of galaxies from 13 billion years ago, revealing the cosmic dawn. By 2030, it could detect biological signatures in the atmospheres of more than 50 exoplanets. The telescope will operate until its coolant depletes around 2035.

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Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (2027)

This infrared telescope will scan 2,000 square degrees of sky, hunting for dark energy and exoplanets. Its 2.4-meter mirror and coronagraph will identify Earth-like worlds around nearby stars. Roman collects data 100 times faster than Hubble, mapping 1 billion galaxies in five years. A Falcon Heavy will launch it to L2 orbit for a 10-year mission.

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Vera C. Rubin Observatory (2025)

This ground-based 8.4-meter telescope in Chile will transform our cosmic view. It takes 15-second exposures every 20 seconds, covering the entire sky every three nights. The 3.2-gigapixel camera detects supernovae and asteroids, generating 10 million alerts each night. Scientists will use this data to refine dark matter models and cosmic expansion rates by 2030.

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Europa Clipper (Arrives 2030)

After launching in October 2024, this spacecraft will reach Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2030. It will perform 50 flybys, using radar to map the ice shell thickness estimated at 10-30 km. A mass spectrometer will analyze plumes for organic molecules and salts that might hint at life. The mission takes 5.5 years to reach Jupiter.

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Dragonfly (Launch 2028, Titan 2034)

This rotorcraft will explore Saturn’s moon Titan, flying 8 kilometers per hop with eight rotors. Nuclear power from an MMRTG will keep it running through the frigid conditions. DragonCam will photograph methane lakes and dunes while a neutron spectrometer analyzes subsurface organics. After a 6-year journey, it will land in Titan’s Shangri-La dune fields.

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Mars Sample Return (Late 2020s-Early 2030s)

NASA and ESA will collaborate to bring Martian samples back to Earth. A Sample Fetch Rover will collect cached samples from Perseverance in Jezero Crater. An ascent vehicle will launch 5 kg of material to an orbiter that returns them by 2033. Starship might reduce costs by launching the 50-ton orbiter in a single flight.

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Starship Mars Test Flights (Late 2020s)

SpaceX plans to send uncrewed Starships to Mars carrying 100 tons of equipment each. Cargo will include solar panels and Sabatier reactors for making methane fuel from CO2. Landings will target Utopia Planitia using Raptor engines for precise touchdowns. Success will prove Starship’s capability to support human missions to the red planet by 2030.

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Lunar Gateway Completion (Late 2020s)

This space station will support lunar missions from its 7-day orbit. The Power and Propulsion Element generates 60 kW of solar power. The Habitation and Logistics Outpost houses four astronauts for 90-day stays. A Canadian robotic arm will assist with spacecraft docking and maintenance. The completed Gateway will serve as a staging point for deep space missions by 2029.

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SPHEREx Observatory (February 2025)

This mission will survey 450 million galaxies in near-infrared light, studying cosmic inflation and the origins of life’s building blocks. Its 20-cm telescope captures images in 96 wavelengths, completing two all-sky surveys in six months. From its 700-km Sun-synchronous orbit, SPHEREx will identify the seeds of galaxy clusters from the universe’s earliest moments.

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PUNCH Mission (March 2025)

Four small satellites will create 3D images of the Sun’s corona and solar wind. Each 25-kg CubeSat carries a wide-field imager viewing the corona from 1.5 to 10 solar radii. From their 570-km orbit, they’ll provide continuous monitoring of solar activity. The data will improve predictions of geomagnetic storms that affect Earth’s infrastructure.

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Japanese M2/Resilience Mission (2025)

Japan will test water-splitting technology on the Moon. The 15-kg Sorato-II rover will carry a one-liter water sample to demonstrate fuel production during its two-week mission. The lander will target the volcanic Marius Hills region after a rideshare launch on a Falcon 9. Results will shape JAXA’s roadmap for supporting lunar bases by 2030.

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India’s Chandrayaan-4 (2028)

India aims to collect 3 kg of regolith from the lunar South Pole. An LVM-3 rocket will deliver a lander and ascent vehicle near Shiv Shakti Point. A robotic arm will gather ice-rich samples, analyzed by an X-ray spectrometer before return to Earth. This mission strengthens India’s role in international Artemis partnerships while advancing its space capabilities.

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Griffin Mission 1 (Fall 2025)

Astrobotic’s 500-kg Griffin lander will touch down near the Gruithuisen Domes, carrying a 100-kg VIPER rover precursor. Hypergolic fuels power its engines for a soft landing with 10-meter accuracy. The mission will test communication relays that future lunar operations will depend on. NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program supports this private venture.

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Lunar Pathfinder (2025)

This 400-kg satellite will orbit 200 km above the Moon, providing high-bandwidth communications for surface missions. Built by SSTL, it offers 100 Mbps data rates through S-band and X-band frequencies. The system provides real-time positioning accurate to 10 meters. After its commercial launch, Pathfinder will operate for five years, supporting the growing lunar economy.

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Axiom Station Lunar Missions (Late 2020s)

Private companies will offer commercial lunar trips using Starship or similar vehicles. Axiom’s lunar module will dock with its space station before lunar journeys. Crews will study lunar concrete and zero-gravity manufacturing, funded by private investors. By 2030, Axiom plans to host 50 tourists annually on these groundbreaking trips to our nearest neighbor.

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Square Kilometre Array (SKA, 2027+)

This massive radio telescope network spans Australia and South Africa. SKA-Low will detect hydrogen signals from 13 billion years ago with 131,000 antennas. The array achieves 100 times the sensitivity of current telescopes by 2030. Scientists will map cosmic magnetic fields and test Einstein’s theories near black holes with unprecedented precision.

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Xuntian Space Telescope (2026)

China’s Hubble-class telescope features a 2-meter mirror and 2.5-gigapixel camera. Orbiting near the Tiangong space station, it will survey 40% of the sky during its seven-year mission. Scientists expect to catalog 10 billion galaxies and detect gravitational lensing events. Xuntian complements Webb by providing rapid, wide-field imaging of cosmic phenomena.

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Starship Crewed Mars Mission (Early 2030s)

Elon Musk’s vision could become reality during the 2033 Mars launch window. A crew of 100+ pioneers would spend 500 days on the surface, building habitats and greenhouses. The ship provides 1,000 cubic meters of living space with radiation shielding and hydroponic systems. Return flights will use methane and oxygen produced from Martian ice.

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Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA, 2035)

Three spacecraft flying in a triangle 2.5 million kilometers apart will detect gravitational waves from merging black holes. Launching on an Ariane 6, LISA will orbit the Sun at Earth’s distance. Its 10-year mission will probe cosmic events dating back to the first trillionth of a second after the Big Bang, opening a new window into universe formation.

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Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1, 2025)

This payload aboard IM-2 will assess lunar water ice with a one-meter drill. TRIDENT will extract a kilogram of icy regolith from Nobile Crater. NIRVSS sensors measure water content down to 0.1% concentration. The data supports NASA’s goal of producing 10 tons of water annually by 2030, enabling sustainable lunar presence through resource utilization.

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Starship Lunar Base Deployment (Mid-2030s)

Starship could deliver the components for a permanent Moon colony. Each flight will land a 20-ton habitat module near the South Pole. Connected modules will create a 500-square-meter base powered by a 100-kW nuclear reactor during the two-week lunar night. This outpost might house 50 residents by 2035, supporting science and commercial mining operations.

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The Era of Space Exploration Has Just Begun

These 37 missions represent just the beginning of humanity’s expanded presence beyond Earth. From robotic explorers to human outposts, the next decade promises unprecedented discoveries about our solar system and beyond. The technologies developed for these missions will transform life on Earth while extending our reach to the stars. Space exploration has entered its golden age, with each mission building upon the last to create a sustainable cosmic future.

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