Space / NASA
Space launches, NASA missions, SpaceX events, and major astronomical announcements.
Upcoming Events
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.
Leonid Meteor Shower Peak
Annual meteor shower from Comet Tempel-Tuttle peaks overnight November 17-18. Expect 10-15 meteors/hour under dark skies. A first-quarter moon will reduce visibility somewhat but sets before the best viewing hours.
Space Tech Expo Europe 2026
Europe's largest B2B space industry trade fair returns to Bremen with exhibitions, expert conferences and B2B matchmaking.
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation — November 2026
Mercury reaches greatest western elongation from the Sun — the best time to spot it low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
BepiColombo Mercury Orbit Insertion
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft is captured into orbit around Mercury after a seven-year cruise, becoming only the third mission ever to orbit the innermost planet.
Roscosmos Progress MS-36 (Progress 97) Launch to the ISS
Soyuz 2.1b launches the Progress MS-36 (97P) cargo resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station, targeted 05:03 UTC.
Beaver Supermoon — November 2026
The Full Beaver Moon of November 2026 is a supermoon, appearing about 6.5%% larger and 13.5%% brighter than an average full moon as it reaches peak illumination near its closest approach to Earth.
Uranus at Opposition
Uranus reaches opposition on November 25, appearing at its brightest and closest to Earth for the year. Barely visible to the naked eye under ideal conditions, it will be best observed through binoculars or a telescope.
Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) 2026 Conference
International science conference on NASA's next flagship mission, the Habitable Worlds Observatory, built to image Earth-like exoplanets.
Gaia Data Release 4
ESA publishes Gaia DR4, the first principal data release of the Gaia mission, covering 5.5 years of observations. The largest and richest star catalogue ever produced, it includes new astrometry, astrophysical parameters, non-single star solutions and exoplanet candidates.
Europa Clipper Earth Gravity Assist
NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft performs an Earth gravity assist flyby on its journey to Jupiter's moon Europa. The spacecraft launched October 2024 and used a Mars gravity assist in March 2025.
AGU Fall Meeting 2026
The world's largest gathering of Earth and space scientists, with major planetary and heliophysics results presented at Moscone Center.
4th Annual Spacepower Conference
Space Force Association national security space conference covering space technology, policy and exploration at the Hilton Orlando.
BepiColombo Spacecraft Separation — Official Arrival at Mercury
ESA/JAXA BepiColombo's MPO and Mio orbiters part ways on 9-10 December 2026, officially marking the mission's arrival at Mercury. ESA hosts a live event at ESOC, Darmstadt, from 22:00 CET on 9 December.
Geminid Meteor Shower Peak
The Geminid meteor shower peaks in December 2026 under moonless skies, with up to 120 bright and colorful meteors per hour expected under optimum conditions.
December Solstice 2026 — Winter Solstice
The December solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the official start of astronomical winter. The Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky at 20:49 UTC. Coincides with the peak of the Ursid meteor shower.
Ursid Meteor Shower Peak 2026
The Ursid meteor shower peaks around December 21–22, coinciding with the winter solstice. Produced by debris from comet 8P/Tuttle, it radiates from the constellation Ursa Minor near Polaris. Expect 5–10 meteors per hour; the bright gibbous moon may reduce visibility in 2026.
ESA Solar Orbiter Fifth Venus Flyby
ESA's Solar Orbiter performs its fifth gravity-assist flyby of Venus, tilting its orbit to about 24 degrees and beginning the high-latitude mission phase for improved imaging of the Sun's polar regions.
Cold Supermoon — December 2026
The Full Cold Moon is the third and final supermoon of 2026 and the year's largest, appearing about 8%% larger and 16%% brighter than an average full moon at its closest approach to Earth.
ESA Hera Arrives at Didymos Asteroid System
ESA Hera spacecraft arrives at the Didymos double asteroid system to investigate the aftermath of NASA DART kinetic impact on Dimorphos, beginning a six-month study of planetary defense.