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  • Chandrayaan-3 Commemorated for Moon Landing (2023)

    Statio Shiv Shakti, 69.373°S 32.319°E, Moon Surface

    Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and Pragyan rover celebrated today after successfully landing on Moon in 2023; marking India as the 4th country to land on Moon, and 1st near the Moon South Pole.

  • Van Allen Probes Mark Another Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • NET Late 2028 – Launch Orion for Artemis 5

    NASA Artemis 5th flight (4th crewed mission) lasting 30 days, planned to send 4 Astronauts to the Lunar Gateway to install the I-Hab module, and conduct a second crewed lunar landing. NASA announcement week of March 11, 2026, said United Launch Alliance (ULA) Centaur V upper stage will be used […]

  • Astrosat Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • World Space Week

    Worldwide

    Celebrating international contributions of space science for betterment of the human condition; Oct 4 is 68th observation of 1st Space mission Sputnik One launched by Soviet Union 1957; Oct 10 is 58th observation of Outer Space Treaty going into effect 1967.

  • ExoMars 2016 Orbiter Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another full year at Mars, launched 2016; craft continues collecting data on atmosphere, deployed Schiaparelli demonstration lander 19 Oct 2016 (unsuccessful).

  • Mars Odyssey Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.

  • Lucy Spacecraft to Fly by Asteroid 21900 Orus

    Jupiter Greek camp at Lagrangian point L4

    NASA Lucy mission, to encounter 11 asteroids including a main belt and 7 Jupiter Trojans, to come within 1,000 km of 51-km diameter 21900 Orus asteroid (which may be a possible binary) today.

  • Swift Spacecraft Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • 242nd Galactic Tick Day

    ☆ Nov 24 — 242nd Galactic Tick Day, Milky Way Galaxy: Highlighting Galaxy awareness by celebrating the Solar System traveling around Milky Way Galaxy Center every ~225 million Earth years, one Galactic Tick happens every 633.7 days; first Tick Day was one Tick after October 2nd, 1608 when the first telescope patent […]

  • Chang’E-5 Begins Next Year on Moon

    Statio Tianchuan, 43° N 51.9° W, Moon Surface

    China National Space Administration (CNSA) Chang'E-5 lander at Statio Tianchuan "ship sailing in the Milky Way", Mons Rümker, Oceanus Procellarum, Moon (43° N, 51.9° W), surpasses another full year on lunar surface today; landed on this day in 2020, with sample return launching from the Moon 2 days later.

  • NET Dec 2028 — Launch Falcon Heavy / Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover

    Kennedy Space Center FL, USA

    Mars launch window is open December 2028 into early 2029. Rosalind Franklin Rover will launch to search for life on Mars, NASA announced on 4.16.26. The Rosalind Franklin is part of Europe's ExoMars exploration program, which was established about 15 years ago with NASA as a key partner. NASA-ESA partnership […]

  • Hayabusa 2 Begins Next Year in Space

    Asteroid 98943 Torifune Trajectory

    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa surpasses another full year in space today; launched Dec 3, 2014, returned samples to Earth in 2020, and now in extended mission to flyby asteroid 98943 Torifune in 2026 and rendezvous with 1998 KY26 in 2031.

  • XMM-Newton Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • AGU 2028 Annual Meeting

    San Diego CA, USA

    Save the date for future Annual Meetings: December 11-15, 2028 | San Diego

  • Chang’E-3 Lander Begins Next Year on Moon

    Guang Han Gong, 44.12°N 19.51°W, Moon Surface

    China National Space Administration (CNSA) spacecraft at Guang Han Gong "Moon Palace", Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W, surpasses another full year on Moon surface, landed 2013.

  • WISE / NEOWISE Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • Gaia Spacecraft Begins Next Year in Space

    Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

    ESA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today; now in extended mission phase working to map more than 1 billion stars; launched in 2013.

  • Mars Express Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    ESA spacecraft surpasses next full year in Mars orbit today; will continue to study Mars atmosphere & climate, planet structure, mineralogy, geology, and to search for traces of water; launched June 2, 2003 and arrived at Mars in Dec 2003.

  • NET 2029 — Launch Long March 10 / Human Moon Landing

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2029 — Tentative date for China's crewed spaceflight program to have first of its multiple human Moon missions to the Moon South Pole region using 2 launches, one for crew spacecraft Mengzhou and one for lander Lanyue that will rendezvous in lunar orbit; developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle […]

  • NET 2029 — Launch Luna-28

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    NET 2029 — Roscosmos hoping to launch Launch Luna-28 (Luna-Resurs 2) to the Moon South Pole region for sample return mission.

  • NET 2029 — Launch Tianwen-3 to Jupiter

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2029 — China planning to launch its first probe to Jupiter this year with the Tianwen-3.

  • NET 2029 — Launch Solar Polar Orbit Observatory

    TBD

    NET 2029 — Expected launch of CNSA Solar Polar Orbit Observatory spacecraft to enter a high-inclination orbit around the Sun to observe its poles, via a gravity-assist maneuver at Jupiter.

  • NET 2029 — End of Euclid Nominal Mission

    Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

    NET 2029 — Scheduled end of European Space Agency Euclid mission which is measuring accelerated expansion of Universe, aiding in understanding of dark energy / dark matter; future plans / extensions to be determined.

  • Apollo 1, 62nd Observation

    Nationwide USA

    Increasing space awareness and education, remembrances and events honor three Apollo 1 crew members lost in 1967 during a launch pad test: Command Pilot Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward H. White and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee.

  • Challenger STS-51L, 43rd Observation

    Nationwide USA

    Educational and ceremonial events held worldwide to advance space technology / education and honor 7 crew members killed in Shuttle accident 28 January 1986: Commander Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Astronaut Christa McAuliffe (the 1st ‘Teacher in Space’), Mission Specialists Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnick and […]

  • Columbia STS-107, 26th Observation

    Nationwide USA

    Annual international conferences and events take place to further space exploration efforts in remembrance of Columbia 7 loss in 2003: Commander Richard D. Husband, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (the ‘1st Israeli astronaut’) and Astronauts: William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown and Kalpana Chawla […]

  • Lunar New Year

    China (Zhongguo) / Worldwide

    Lunar New Year 2029 Spring Festival marks the Year of the Rooster.

  • Pōwehi Day

    Statewide Hawai’i, USA

    Recognized proclamation to celebrate the first-ever imaged black hole M87* by Event Horizon Telescope collaboration involving Mauna Kea Observatories, given the Hawaiian name Pōwehi; imaged in April 2017 and released Apr 10, 2019.

  • Yuri’s Night Celebrations

    Worldwide

    Launching parties around the world every year on or around April 12th, in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to venture into space on April 12, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on April 12, 1981. We use space to bring the world together, […]

  • Asteroid 99942 Apophis to Fly by Earth

    Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

    On this day, which happens to be a Friday, 370-meter diameter asteroid (previously known as 2004 MN4) will narrowly miss Earth by about 30,000 km, which is classified as Medium Earth Orbit (2,000 - 35,786 km).

  • OSIRIS-APEX to Rendezvous with Asteroid 99942 Apophis

    Asteroid 99942 Apophis Orbit

    OSIRIS-APophis EXplorer (OSIRIS-APEX) is planned rendezvous with and orbit asteroid Apophis starting today for 9 months following the asteroid’s close Earth approach which occurred April 13, 2029; craft previously known as Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) which returned samples from asteroid Bennu to Earth on Sep 24, 2023.

  • National Day of Space Flight

    China (Zhongguo)

    Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.

  • International Space Day

    Worldwide

    First Friday in May, events and presentations to promote STEM education and inspire people to continue the work of Space explorers; originally began as ‘National Space Day’ in 1997 by Lockheed Martin Corp.

  • Viking 1 Mars Lander 53rd Landing Observation Anniversary

    Nationwide USA

    First USA spacecraft to successfully land on another planet commemorated today for its accomplishment 53 years ago; originally scheduled for July 4, landing was delayed until this day in 1976 due to rough landing site.

  • International Moon Day (Annual)

    Global / Inter-Global

    Celebrating the 1st people walking on the Moon / another celestial body – International Moon Day has been a recognized / endorsed declaration by the United Nations since 2022.

  • Apollo 11, 60th Observation

    Global / Inter-Global

    First Human mission to land on Moon in 1969; 1st steps by humans on another World taken by Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin; Command Module piloted by Michael Collins.

  • Parker Solar Probe Begins Next Year in Space

    Heliocentric Orbit

    NASA craft surpasses another full year in space today, having launched Aug 12, 2018; probe came within ~6.16M km of the Sun on Dec 24, 2024 which is ~7 times closer than any prior spacecraft, traveling faster than any other human-made object at ~692,000 km/hr.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Commemorated for Moon Landing (2023)

    Statio Shiv Shakti, 69.373°S 32.319°E, Moon Surface

    Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and Pragyan rover celebrated today after successfully landing on Moon in 2023; marking India as the 4th country to land on Moon, and 1st near the Moon South Pole.

  • Van Allen Probes Mark Another Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • Astrosat Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • World Space Week

    Worldwide

    Celebrating international contributions of space science for betterment of the human condition; Oct 4 is 68th observation of 1st Space mission Sputnik One launched by Soviet Union 1957; Oct 10 is 58th observation of Outer Space Treaty going into effect 1967.

  • ExoMars 2016 Orbiter Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos spacecraft surpasses another full year at Mars, launched 2016; craft continues collecting data on atmosphere, deployed Schiaparelli demonstration lander 19 Oct 2016 (unsuccessful).

  • Mars Odyssey Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.

  • Swift Spacecraft Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Observing gamma-ray bursts & their afterglows in gamma-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical wavelengths from LEO, multiwavelength craft surpasses another year of operations in space today, launched in 2004.

  • Chang’E-5 Begins Next Year on Moon

    Statio Tianchuan, 43° N 51.9° W, Moon Surface

    China National Space Administration (CNSA) Chang'E-5 lander at Statio Tianchuan "ship sailing in the Milky Way", Mons Rümker, Oceanus Procellarum, Moon (43° N, 51.9° W), surpasses another full year on lunar surface today; landed on this day in 2020, with sample return launching from the Moon 2 days later.

  • Hayabusa 2 Begins Next Year in Space

    Asteroid 98943 Torifune Trajectory

    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa surpasses another full year in space today; launched Dec 3, 2014, returned samples to Earth in 2020, and now in extended mission to flyby asteroid 98943 Torifune in 2026 and rendezvous with 1998 KY26 in 2031.

  • XMM-Newton Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    European Space Agency (ESA) craft in Very Eccentric Elliptical LEO studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, surpasses next full year in space today, launched 1999.

  • WISE / NEOWISE Begins Next Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2009, went into hibernation February 17, 2011 and reactivated August 21, 2013.

  • Chang’E-3 Lander Begins Next Year on Moon

    Guang Han Gong, 44.12°N 19.51°W, Moon Surface

    China National Space Administration (CNSA) spacecraft at Guang Han Gong "Moon Palace", Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W, surpasses another full year on Moon surface, landed 2013.

  • Gaia Spacecraft Begins Next Year in Space

    Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point

    ESA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today; now in extended mission phase working to map more than 1 billion stars; launched in 2013.

  • Mars Express Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    ESA spacecraft surpasses next full year in Mars orbit today; will continue to study Mars atmosphere & climate, planet structure, mineralogy, geology, and to search for traces of water; launched June 2, 2003 and arrived at Mars in Dec 2003.

  • NET 2030 — Launch Angara A5 / Luna-29

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    NET 2030 — Roscosmos hoping to launch Angara A5 with Luna-29 (Luna-Resurs 3) Moon South Pole lander and rover; mission goals / landing site TBD, will support future Human base.

  • NET 2030 — Launch Millimetron (Spektr-M)

    TBD

    NET 2030 — Russia hopes to launch Millimetron (Spektr-M) space observatory with a diameter of 10 meters to Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange Point to study black holes, formation of stars, planets, galaxies.

  • 255th Meeting of the AAS

    National Harbor MD, USA

    At Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

  • Pōwehi Day

    Statewide Hawai’i, USA

    Recognized proclamation to celebrate the first-ever imaged black hole M87* by Event Horizon Telescope collaboration involving Mauna Kea Observatories, given the Hawaiian name Pōwehi; imaged in April 2017 and released Apr 10, 2019.

  • Europa Clipper to Insert into Jupiter Orbit

    Jupiter Orbit

    Europa Clipper mission to insert into Jupiter orbit on this day to study Galileo moon Europa through a series of 44 close flybys (25 to 2,700 km); launched 10 October 2024.

  • Yuri’s Night Celebrations

    Worldwide

    Launching parties around the world every year on or around April 12th, in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to venture into space on April 12, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on April 12, 1981. We use space to bring the world together, […]

  • National Day of Space Flight

    China (Zhongguo)

    Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.

  • International Space Day

    Worldwide

    First Friday in May, events and presentations to promote STEM education and inspire people to continue the work of Space explorers; originally began as ‘National Space Day’ in 1997 by Lockheed Martin Corp.

  • Viking 1 Mars Lander 54th Landing Observation Anniversary

    Nationwide USA

    First USA spacecraft to successfully land on another planet commemorated today for its accomplishment 54 years ago; originally scheduled for July 4, landing was delayed until this day in 1976 due to rough landing site.

  • International Moon Day (Annual)

    Global / Inter-Global

    Celebrating the 1st people walking on the Moon / another celestial body – International Moon Day has been a recognized / endorsed declaration by the United Nations since 2022.

  • Parker Solar Probe Begins Next Year in Space

    Heliocentric Orbit

    NASA craft surpasses another full year in space today, having launched Aug 12, 2018; probe came within ~6.16M km of the Sun on Dec 24, 2024 which is ~7 times closer than any prior spacecraft, traveling faster than any other human-made object at ~692,000 km/hr.

  • Chandrayaan-3 Commemorated for Moon Landing (2023)

    Statio Shiv Shakti, 69.373°S 32.319°E, Moon Surface

    Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander and Pragyan rover celebrated today after successfully landing on Moon in 2023; marking India as the 4th country to land on Moon, and 1st near the Moon South Pole.

  • Van Allen Probes Mark Another Year in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2012; adding to the understanding of Earth radiation belt environment and its variability.

  • Astrosat Begins Next in Space

    Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.

  • Mars Odyssey Begins Next Year in Mars Orbit

    Mars Orbit

    NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.

  • Lucy Spacecraft 3rd Earth Flyby (660 km)

    Jupiter Trajectory

    NASA mission to encounter 11 asteroids, including a main belt and 7 Jupiter Trojans, to perform Earth flyby / gravity assist today coming within 660 km after reaching Jupiter orbit and returning to the vicinity of the Earth.    

  • NET 2031 — Launch Ariane 6-4 / Argonaut

    Launch Area 4, ~5°N, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

    European Space Agency planning to launch the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element -- lunar lander built by Thales Alenia Space to the Moon.

  • NET 2031 — Launch Luna-30 Lander

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    Roscosmos State Corporation planning to launch Launch Luna-30 lander to deliver a reusable cargo delivery spacecraft with supplies for human missions.

  • NET July — JUICE Spacecraft to Insert into Jupiter Orbit

    Jupiter Orbit

    NET July — ESA Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) expected to reach Jupiter this month if launched April 2023; will perform a flyby of Ganymede 7.5-hours before Jupiter insertion; will spend at least 3.5 years studying Jupiter atmosphere and magnetosphere, moons Ganymede, Europa, Callisto and Io with 10 state-of-the-art instruments […]

  • Parker Solar Probe Begins Next Year in Space

    Heliocentric Orbit

    NASA craft surpasses another full year in space today, having launched Aug 12, 2018; probe came within ~6.16M km of the Sun on Dec 24, 2024 which is ~7 times closer than any prior spacecraft, traveling faster than any other human-made object at ~692,000 km/hr.

  • 243rd Galactic Tick Day

    Highlighting Galaxy awareness by celebrating the Solar System traveling around Milky Way Galaxy Center every ~225 million Earth years, one Galactic Tick happens every 633.7 days; first Tick Day was one Tick after October 2nd, 1608 when the first telescope patent was filed.

  • Transit of Mercury

    Global / Inter-Global

    Mercury to pass directly between Earth and Sun; observers see distant planet as small dot gliding slowly across face of Sun; starts Nov 12 at 20:41 HST, ends 01:07 Nov 13.

  • NET 2033 — Launch Luna-31

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    Roscosmos hoping to launch lander to deliver a heavy lunar rover weighing up to 5,000 kg, capable of mining / extracting lunar resources.

  • Lucy to Flyby Asteroids 617 Patroclus and Menoetius

    Jupiter Trojan camp at L5

    NASA Lucy mission to come within 1,000 km of 113-km diameter 617 Patroclus and 104-km diameter Menoetius, p-type binary asteroids; Lucy will be in a stable, 6-year orbit between the L4 and L5 -- mission extension may be granted.

  • Lucy Spacecraft End of Primary Mission, Continues Orbit Around Sun

    Heliocentric Orbit

    End of primary mission for NASA Lucy mission, future science and mission plan extension TBD; mission is a twelve-year journey to eight different asteroids, and craft will continue to orbit the Sun in a stable orbit between the L4 and L5 Trojan swarms around Jupiter. 

  • NET 2035 — Launch Luna-32

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    Roscosmos hopes to launch Luna-32 to deliver heavy modules weighing up to 5,000 kg for the construction of the International Lunar Research Station by this date.

  • NET 2035 — Launch Luna-33

    Vostochny Cosmodrome, ~52°N, Russia

    Roscosmos hopes to launch Luna-33 orbiter to be used for communication and navigation for Human Moon Missions and lunar base.

  • Tianwen-2 to Rendezvous with Comet 311/P PanSTARRS

    Comet 311/P PanSTARRS Orbit

    China asteroid sample return mission, having returned at least 100 grams from Kamo’oalewa (2016 HO3), to rendezvous with and begin orbiting Comet 311/P PanSTARRS for 1 year.