Mission tracker / Source-linked

Missions to follow.

Where each mission is going, what comes next, and the dates its team is working toward.

6 missions tracked3 in flightOct 15, 2026 latest change
Illustration of ESA's Hera spacecraft in deep space
Credit: ESA · Hera spacecraft
About mission status and dates
CompletedMilestone achieved
In flightSpacecraft operating beyond launch
In prepHardware or launch campaign underway
PlannedAnnounced window; subject to change
ProposedA studied concept, not a committed date

Showing 6 of 6 missions, earliest milestone first; undated missions last.

  1. In flight Last verified

    Roman Space Telescope

    NASA · United States

    Destination
    Sun–Earth L2
    Timing
    Launched Aug 30, 2026
    Objective
    Survey the cosmos for dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets, and infrared transients with an exceptionally wide field of view.
    Next milestone
    Spectral-guidance tests and commissioning; science operations by early 2027
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)
  2. In flight Last verified

    Hera

    ESA · Europe

    Destination
    Didymos / Dimorphos
    Timing
    Arrival November 2026
    Objective
    Survey the Didymos system and measure the aftermath of NASA's DART impact to improve asteroid-deflection knowledge.
    Next milestone
    Braking burns BRM-1 (Oct 15) and BRM-2 (Oct 22), then rendezvous and close survey
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)
  3. Planned Last verified

    Artemis III

    NASA + commercial partners

    Destination
    Low Earth orbit
    Timing
    2027
    Objective
    Test crewed rendezvous, docking, and integrated operations between Orion and one or both commercial lander test vehicles in Earth orbit.
    Next milestone
    Crew training and lander integration
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)
  4. In flight Last verified

    Tianwen-2

    CNSA · China

    Destination
    Kamoʻoalewa, then comet 311P
    Timing
    Sample return expected late 2027
    Objective
    Observe and sample near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 before continuing to a main-belt comet.
    Next milestone
    Near-asteroid science and sample preparation
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)
  5. Planned Last verified

    Artemis IV

    NASA + international partners

    Destination
    Lunar surface
    Timing
    Targeted early 2028
    Objective
    Return astronauts to the lunar surface after the Artemis III lander demonstration and begin longer-lived exploration architecture.
    Next milestone
    Lander and mission-system development
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)
  6. Planned Last verified

    Chang'e-7

    CNSA · China

    Destination
    Lunar south pole
    Timing
    2026 window missed; new date pending
    Objective
    An orbiter, lander, rover, and small flying probe will investigate terrain, resources, and permanently shadowed regions.
    Next milestone
    Revised launch announcement
    Open mission source (opens in a new tab)

What changed

  1. Hera

    ESA's schedule shows braking manoeuvre BRM-1 on Oct 15 and BRM-2 on Oct 22, followed by smaller transition manoeuvres late in October. Arrival at Didymos remains November 2026 (ESA gives no day).

    ESA (opens in a new tab)
  2. Chang'e-7

    Re-checked: the Aug 23 CNSA/CMSA notice that the mission could not launch in this year's window is still the latest official statement. No new date has been published.

    CNSA (opens in a new tab)

A note on dates: launch windows and targets are snapshots, not promises. Lunartic keeps the operator's latest stated window and shows when a mission is only proposed. Factual fixes are listed in the corrections log.

Planetary defense

How to move an asteroid.

A spacecraft impact can change an asteroid’s velocity by a small amount. Given enough time, that change can shift its path past Earth. Follow-up measurements tell us how well the technique works.

01

Measure

Map the asteroid's orbit, shape, spin, and composition.

02

Impact

Strike at high speed and alter the orbit by a measurable amount.

03

Revisit

Measure the crater and the exact orbital change to improve future models.

ESA Hera spacecraft with its asteroid instruments labeled
In flightArrival Nov 2026 · braking burns Oct 15 and 22

Hera is going back to the scene of DART's impact.

ESA's spacecraft will inspect Dimorphos and turn DART's successful deflection into a calibrated experiment.

Follow Hera at ESA (opens in a new tab)