Space / NASA
Space launches, NASA missions, SpaceX events, and major astronomical announcements.
Upcoming Events
Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Cygnus XL Departure from the ISS
Canadarm2 releases Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft from the ISS Unity module at 12:45 p.m. EDT, ending the CRS-24 resupply mission; NASA coverage starts 12:30 p.m. EDT. Cygnus deorbits for a destructive re-entry on Oct. 11.
Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation — October 2026
Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 19.6 degrees from the Sun, the best evening apparition of the year. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
NASA's SpaceX CRS-35 Cargo Launch to the ISS
SpaceX's 35th commercial resupply mission for NASA launches a Cargo Dragon with supplies and science investigations to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral. Launch no earlier than October 13, 2026.
NASA SpaceX Crew-12 Post-Flight News Conference
Crew-12 astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot and Andrey Fedyaev discuss their 237-day ISS mission at 3:30 p.m. EDT at NASA Johnson Space Center.
SpaceX Falcon 9 USSF-481 Launch
SpaceX launches the classified USSF-481 mission for the U.S. Space Force on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg SLC-4E. T-0 23:44 UTC (4:44 p.m. PDT).
SpaceX CRS-35 Cargo Dragon Docking at the ISS
NASA's SpaceX CRS-35 cargo Dragon docks autonomously to the International Space Station two days after launch.
Intuitive Machines IM-3 Lunar Landing
Intuitive Machines' third Nova-C lunar lander mission under NASA's CLPS program. The lander will carry NASA scientific instruments to the lunar surface, following the IM-1 and IM-2 missions.
ISRO GSLV Mk II Launch — NVS-03 Navigation Satellite
ISRO GSLV Mk II launches NVS-03 (IRNSS-1L), a replacement satellite for India's NavIC regional navigation constellation, from Sriharikota.
Starmus VIII Festival — The Search for Truth
Starmus VIII science and music festival with the Stephen Hawking Medal ceremony, held across Tenerife and La Palma, October 17–22, 2026.
JAXA Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Launch
NET Oct 20, 04:41:03 JST (Oct 19 UTC) on H3 from Tanegashima. Sample-return mission to Mars moon Phobos with a CNES/DLR rover.
Orionid Meteor Shower Peak
Annual meteor shower from Halley's Comet debris peaks overnight October 21-22. Up to 20 meteors/hour at peak. The 80% gibbous moon sets before dawn, giving a good window for viewing in the pre-dawn hours.
2026 International Mars Society Convention
The Mars Society's annual convention with 80+ in-person speakers on Mars exploration and settlement.
58th AAS Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) Meeting
Annual meeting of the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences at the Spokane Convention Center.
Hunter's Moon — October 2026
October's full Moon, known as the Hunter's Moon, reaching full phase at 04:13 UTC.
19th von Braun Space Exploration Symposium
Annual American Astronautical Society symposium in Huntsville where NASA and industry leaders map out the future of human and robotic space exploration.
Moon Passes Near the Pleiades — October 2026
On the night of Oct 27 into Oct 28 the Moon passes close to the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster, per NASA's What's Up for October 2026.
Silicon Valley Space Week 2026 — Satellite Innovation & MilSat Symposium
Three days at the Computer History Museum covering satellite market dynamics, technology innovation and national security space.
Economist Space Economy Summit 2026
Economist Enterprise's 4th annual Space Economy Summit on commercial uses of space technology, October 28–29, 2026 at the University of Central Florida.
Taurid Meteor Shower Peak 2026
The Southern Taurids meteor shower peaks around November 4–5, followed by the Northern Taurids on November 11–12. A long-running minor shower producing 5–10 meteors per hour, known occasionally for bright fireballs. Produced by debris from Comet 2P/Encke.
Jupiter-Mars Conjunction
Jupiter passes just over a degree south of Mars in the pre-dawn sky, a striking pairing of two bright planets visible to the naked eye.