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02 · Missions

Current Missions

An overview of ongoing, planned and completed science missions. Every card leads to its own subpage with a source link and the last-updated date.

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2017 total solar eclipse — NASA/Carla ThomasASO-S (Kuafu-1)夸父一号ongoingSolar observatoryAdvanced Space-based Solar Observatory.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Yutu-2 rover, deployed by Chang’e-4 on the lunar far side — CNSA (via Wikimedia Commons)Chang'e-4嫦娥四号ongoingLunar far side · lander & roverFirst-ever soft landing on the Moon's far side (January 2019). Its Yutu-2 rover is the longest-operating lunar rover in history.As of: 01/06/2026CLEP · Read more →
The Far Side of the Moon — NASA/GSFCChang'e-6嫦娥六号completedLunar far-side sample returnFirst-ever sample return from the lunar far side: in June 2024 Chang'e-6 returned about 1,935 g of material from the South Pole-Aitken Basin.As of: 01/06/2026State Council Information Office · Read more →
High-oblique view of Moon's surface showing Earth rising above the horizon — NASA/JSC (Apollo 8)Chang'e-7嫦娥七号plannedLunar south pole · orbiter, lander, roverComprehensive exploration of the lunar south pole with an orbiter, lander, rover and a hopping mini-detector searching for water ice.As of: 01/06/2026National Science Review · Read more →
Shadow of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module silhouetted against the Moon's surface — NASA/JSCChang'e-8嫦娥八号plannedLunar south pole · in-situ resource useTests technologies for using local lunar resources and, with Chang'e-7, lays the groundwork for the ILRS at the south pole.As of: 01/06/2026gov.cn (English) · Read more →
James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror — NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham/Emmett Given (via Wikimedia Commons)DAMPE (Wukong)悟空ongoingDark matter detectorDark Matter Particle Explorer.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Orion Nebula, Hubble mosaic — NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (STScI/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team (via Wikimedia Commons)Earth 2.0 / eXTP地球2.0 / 增强型X射线时变与偏振空间天文台plannedExoplanets & X-ray astronomyEarth 2.0 targets Earth-like exoplanets; eXTP is a planned X-ray observatory.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Orion Nebula, Hubble mosaic — NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (STScI/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team (via Wikimedia Commons)Einstein Probe (Tianguan)爱因斯坦探针 / 天关ongoingX-ray telescopeX-ray telescope for transient events (supernovae, tidal disruptions), with ESA and CNES contributions.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite orbiting Earth, illustration — NASAGECAM引力波高能电磁对应体全天监测器ongoingAll-sky monitorAll-sky monitor for high-energy counterparts of gravitational waves.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
High-oblique view of Moon's surface showing Earth rising above the horizon — NASA/JSC (Apollo 8)International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)国际月球科研站plannedLunar research station · south poleA lunar south-pole research base initiated by China with Russia and other partners.As of: 01/06/2026National Science Review · Read more →
Sombrero Galaxy in infrared light — NASA/JPL-Caltech and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) (via Wikimedia Commons)Insight-HXMT (Huiyan)慧眼ongoingX-ray telescopeHard X-ray Modulation Telescope.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite orbiting Earth, illustration — NASAQueqiao-2鹊桥二号ongoingRelay satelliteRelay satellite (March 2024) providing communications for far-side and south-pole missions — a prerequisite for Chang'e-6/7/8.As of: 01/06/2026CLEP · Read more →
Aqua satellite orbiting Earth, artist concept — NASAQUESS (Mozi)墨子ongoingQuantum communicationQuantum-science satellite for quantum communication experiments.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Launch of Shenzhou 13 — Created by ForrestXYC, photoshopped by Ib (via Wikimedia Commons)Shenzhou神舟ongoingCrewed missions · ongoing seriesThe Shenzhou spacecraft ferry crews to the Tiangong station — flying regularly since 2003, usually a crew of three, for roughly six-month stays.As of: 01/06/2026CMSA · Read more →
Twisting solar prominences — NASA/GSFC/Solar Dynamics ObservatorySMILE微笑卫星plannedSolar wind & magnetosphereChina-Europe mission on solar-wind/magnetosphere interaction.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Pluto and Charon from Hubble — Dr. R. Albrecht, ESA/ESO STECF; NASA (via Wikimedia Commons)SVOM中法天文卫星ongoingGamma-ray burstsSino-French mission observing gamma-ray bursts.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror — NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham/Emmett Given (via Wikimedia Commons)Taiji-1太极一号ongoingGravitational-wave pathfinderPathfinder for space-based gravitational-wave detection.As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Tiangong Space Station, 3D rendering (Nov. 2022 configuration) — Shujianyang (via Wikimedia Commons)Tiangong天宫ongoingSpace station · low Earth orbitChina's permanently crewed low-Earth-orbit station, resupplied by Shenzhou crews and Tianzhou cargo craft.As of: 01/06/2026State Council Information Office · Read more →
Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover imaged from orbit in Southern Utopia Planitia — NASA/JPL/University of Arizona (via Wikimedia Commons)Tianwen-1天问一号ongoingMars · orbiter, lander, roverChina's first independent Mars mission — orbiter, lander and the Zhurong rover; landing in May 2021, orbiter still active in 2026.As of: 01/06/2026CNSA · Read more →
Vial with sample of asteroid Bennu — NASA/GSFCTianwen-2天问二号ongoingAsteroid & comet · sample returnChina's first asteroid sample-return mission. Target is 2016 HO3 (469219 Kamoʻoalewa); the probe then continues to comet 311P.As of: 01/06/2026gov.cn (English) · Read more →
Curiosity rover spotted on the Martian surface from orbit — NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of ArizonaTianwen-3天问三号plannedMars sample returnPlanned as the world's first Mars sample-return mission, with dual launches in 2028 and return around 2031.As of: 01/06/2026gov.cn (English) · Read more →
Hubble Ultra Deep Field — NASA and the European Space Agency (via Wikimedia Commons)Tianwen-4天问四号plannedJupiter & Uranus · orbiterAn orbiter mission to the Jupiter system (possibly as a Callisto orbiter), with an additional probe for a Uranus flyby.As of: 01/06/2026Wikipedia (background) · Read more →
Tianzhou cargo spacecraft, 3D rendering — Shujianyang (via Wikimedia Commons)Tianzhou天舟ongoingCargo missions · ongoing seriesUncrewed cargo craft resupplying Tiangong with propellant, provisions and experiment hardware.As of: 01/06/2026CMSA · Read more →
Solar System portrait — Earth as "Pale Blue Dot", Voyager 1 — NASA/JPLVOICE (Venus)金星plannedVenus orbiter · proposalProposed Venus orbiter (Venus Volcano Imaging and Climate Explorer) to study volcanism and climate.As of: 01/06/2026Wikipedia (background) · Read more →
Earth-directed coronal hole — NASA/GSFC/Solar Dynamics ObservatoryXihe羲和ongoingSolar explorationSolar exploration satellite (Hα observations).As of: 01/06/2026Nature · Read more →
Pluto and Charon from Hubble — Dr. R. Albrecht, ESA/ESO STECF; NASA (via Wikimedia Commons)Xuntian (CSST)巡天 / 中国空间站望远镜plannedSurvey telescope · Hubble-classA Hubble-class survey telescope that will co-orbit with the Tiangong station and dock for servicing.As of: 01/06/2026Wikipedia (background) · Read more →