2025 could be a watershed in space exploration – from the first steps towards a sustainable human presence on the Moon to the emergence of new launch vehicles and the expansion of commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. We will look at the most interesting missions and technological innovations that will shape the future of space exploration. We have compiled planned missions, new rockets, commercial stations and breakthrough technologies here. Here we go!
Space Mission Calendar 2025
January 2025 begins with the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission. This is the second attempt to land their Nova-C lander on the Moon as part of NASA’s CLPS program. This time, they will deliver scientific instruments directly to the surface of our satellite. A successful landing will mean that private companies are becoming key players in lunar exploration, which is another step towards a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
February 2025 will bring us NASA’s SPHEREx mission. This small, near-infrared telescope will map the cosmos, looking for clues to the origin of galaxies and detecting water and organic compounds in distant planetary systems. This data could eventually help us better understand the conditions under which life can arise and ultimately suggest how to improve our own optical devices – from astronomical cameras to the sensors in our smartphones.
March 2025 – Hera spacecraft. An exciting event is expected from the European Space Agency (ESA): the Hera spacecraft will fly past Mars and its moon Deimos. These maneuvers are part of Hera’s complex route to the mission’s main goal: to study the double asteroid system Didymos and its small “moon” Dimorphos. During the flyby, the spacecraft can collect valuable scientific data about Mars and Deimos. This will not only expand our knowledge of the neighboring worlds but will also help Hera take advantage of the gravitational fields of the planet and its satellite to adjust its trajectory. The results will be an important step in preparing for the mission’s main objective: a thorough study of the Didymos-Dimorphos system. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of asteroid formation, the dangers associated with potentially hazardous objects, and the possibilities of changing their trajectory in the future.
Also in March, SpaceX is preparing for a historic in-orbit refueling test
As we have already written, SpaceX plans to conduct in-orbit refueling tests for two Starship spacecraft. This demonstration is a key step in supporting long-term missions to the Moon and Mars, as the successful transfer of fuel between the vehicles in orbit will significantly expand the possibilities of long-distance space travel.
What will happen:
One fully refueled Starship will be launched into Earth’s orbit, after which the second Starship will dock to transfer fuel. This is a complex technical maneuver that will be the first of its kind and will pave the way for increased range and payload capacity for future space missions. NASA has confirmed that SpaceX is on schedule to conduct this test. The in-orbit refueling technology is extremely important for the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
If the test is successful, it will be a turning point in space exploration, allowing for a long-term human presence on the Moon and future manned expeditions to Mars.
In April 2025, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) will be launched – the fourth private mission from Axiom Space to the ISS in cooperation with SpaceX. This is another step towards active commercial use of Earth’s orbit. Also in April, NASA’s TRACERS mission is scheduled to be launched to study the Earth’s magnetosphere. This will help us understand space weather and protect our satellites, power grids and navigation systems.
In May 2025, the first unmanned flight of the Dream Chaser spacecraft (SSC Demo-1) from Sierra Space attracted attention. This “space plane” is reusable, which helps reduce the cost and increase the frequency of cargo launches to the ISS. In the future, such vehicles could pave the way for more affordable orbital tourism and efficient logistics in space.
In June 2025, Northrop Grumman’s CRS NG-22 mission will deliver another batch of cargo and scientific instruments to the ISS. These regular deliveries support the station’s continuous operation and scientific experiments.
In July 2025, the SpaceX Crew-11 mission will be launched, carrying an international crew to the ISS. New research, technological tests, and, of course, the incredible experience of living in orbit will continue to push the boundaries of our capabilities.
August 2025 will see the launch of Vast’s Haven-1 commercial space station. A crew of four astronauts will spend 30 days in orbit testing the concept of private space hotels. The success of the mission may stimulate the emergence of new formats for recreation and research in space, and perhaps one day, like air travel, orbital travel will become commonplace.
September – October 2025 is the time for Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission 1. Their lander will deliver NASA’s VIPER rover to the Moon, which will explore the South Pole in search of water ice. The information obtained will help in the creation of bases and the use of lunar resources. Astrobotic itself is an ambitious private US company that aims to make the Moon more accessible for science, commerce and research. It specializes in the development of landers and lunar rovers, delivering scientific equipment and payloads from government, commercial and research organizations to the lunar surface. Through its partnership with NASA in the CLPS program, Astrobotic is bringing us closer to regular “flights” to the Moon.
In November 2025, the Sentinel-6C mission will be launched, a satellite created by the international efforts of NASA, NOAA, EUMETSAT and ESA. It will measure changes in global sea level, which is one of the most important indicators of global warming and ice sheet melting. It will provide a broad and stable set of high-precision geophysical data that will allow for refining existing models of climate processes and making more accurate predictions about future climate change and possible threats to coastal zones. Auxiliary climate and meteorological data are related to the water vapor content in the atmosphere, winds near the ocean surface and other factors that affect the accuracy of measurements and the understanding of climate processes.
In December 2025, NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, consisting of two small satellites, is being prepared for launch. Their task is to study in detail the magnetosphere of Mars and the processes of atmospheric loss. These studies are key to understanding how the red planet gradually lost most of its atmosphere. The data obtained will help prepare for future manned missions and will also allow us to more accurately assess the potential of Mars to support life in the past and create stable colonies in the future.
Space novices 2025
We should also mention projects and missions that have been waiting for their first flights for a long time. Among them is our long-awaited Cyclone-4 project from KB Pivdenne and other launch vehicles and rockets that will expand the list of countries with space status. In 2025, we expect the first launches of several of these new launch vehicles.
Orbital carrier Skyrora XL and the Orbex Prime small satellite launcher are expanding the capabilities of the UK space industry, allowing the UK not only to launch from home but also to become a key player in the global space services market. The appearance of Eris Block 1 from Australia should be interesting, as it will be the country’s debut as a player in launching orbital missions. Another expansion of the Chinese launch vehicle catalog is represented by the Zhuque-3, which uses a methane-oxygen (methane + liquid oxygen) engine. This engine may become a competitor to two already successful methane engines, SpaceX’s RAPTOR and Blue Origin’s BE-4, which successfully launched on 8 January 2024 as part of the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle. The Peregrine lander was launched to the Moon as part of Commercial Lunar Payload Services to explore lunar resources and conduct lunar exploration in support of the Artemis lunar program.
This technology is interesting not only because it is easier to maintain due to reduced system pollution, more powerful and easier to use, but also because methane can be produced outside the Earth (for example, on Mars), which hypothetically facilitates space travel to distant planets. SpaceX and Blue Origin are pushing all companies (including state-owned ones) to produce more efficient engines, having proved it on their own experience. This year, environmental activists also expressed support for methane.
If successful, all of these vehicles will improve logistics in space and reduce the cost of launches. This, in turn, will lead to new services ranging from global internet coverage to new remote sensing capabilities that will help farmers, logistics and rescue services.
2025 is the year of technology
Today, it seems that no activity can be imagined without the participation of artificial intelligence (AI). AI has already proven to be an integral part of many space projects. For example, Phi-Sat-1, an ESA project, uses AI to observe the Earth. The mission collects a large number of images from space in the visible, near-infrared and thermal infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and then filters out images that are covered by clouds using AI algorithms. This mission was continued as Phi-Sat-2. Developments in this area mean that our smartphones and other devices will also benefit from improved image, photo and data processing algorithms in the future. You can read more about this here.
A powerful software developer that has been implementing machine learning (ML) in its work since 2015 is the Canadian Mission control. We recommend that fans of software technologies learn more about their activities here. This Canadian company has developed AI-based software for lunar missions, including the deployment of deep learning AI in lunar orbit to assist in autonomous navigation and data analysis.
The development of advanced communications (such as space quantum channels and high-speed satellite links) will make the Internet more stable across the globe. This will pave the way for affordable high-speed communications even in the most remote parts of the world. As an example of implementation, the Chinese satellite Micius has successfully demonstrated the use of quantum channels to exchange encryption keys between remote stations. For subscribers of the Physical Review Journal, we recommend this article, where you can learn more about the technology. This technology has great potential for future development, especially in industries that require absolute data security and communication stability.
Nuclear propulsion technologies, such as nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and nuclear electric propulsion (NEP), are being actively developed and considered for future space missions. They have the potential to significantly reduce travel time and expand mission capabilities. This is where NASA’s DRACO program comes in: back in January 2023, NASA partnered with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and demonstrate an NTP system as part of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program. The goal is to test the NTP engine in space by 2027, which could be key to future manned missions to Mars. So, we expect news in the development of the technology in the coming year.
According to the Financial Times, Rolls-Royce is developing compact nuclear reactors designed to power space missions, with designs small enough to be transported by rockets. These micro-reactors are designed to support activities on the Moon and Mars, providing a reliable power source for life support and scientific equipment.
The continued deployment of satellite constellations includes SpaceX’s Starlink, which we already know well, and lesser-known systems. One of these is OneWeb, which aims to provide global broadband services. A group of 648 satellites is planned to be upgraded to Gen 2, which promises higher internet speeds, better bandwidth, and more stable connections even in difficult conditions. They will have intelligent antennas that can redirect signals to where they are needed most and support 5G and IoT devices. Longer service life, reduced space debris, and cheaper launches thanks to the partnership with Relativity Space make this network more profitable and environmentally friendly. The new capabilities will provide reliable connectivity for businesses, government agencies, maritime vessels, and users in remote regions.
On the Ground Control website, you can see an interesting model of Starlink, OneWeb and GPS satellite deployment in action. The information is also available on their user-friendly smartphone app.
The Amazon Kuiper project plans to deploy 3236 satellites, which are expected to be launched soon. The new mini-satellites will improve Earth observation and global communications. Over time, this could lead to accurate weather forecasts and better environmental monitoring. Forecasters may have a chance to provide us with more up-to-date information in the morning.
The development of habitation modules, air, water and energy supply systems for the long stay of a human on the Moon continues.
Olympus Project: In collaboration with NASA, ICON is developing 3D printing robots capable of building lunar habitats from local materials such as lunar regolith. This approach is aimed at building infrastructures such as houses, landing pads and roads directly on the lunar surface.
A Water-Based Lunar Architecture: Lockheed Martin is exploring the use of water as a resource for life support and propulsion systems on the Moon. Their concept involves the extraction and use of lunar water to support human activities and mobility on the lunar surface.
These are not only the space bases of the future, but also an opportunity to improve energy-efficient housing technologies on Earth.
As you can see, 2025 is a real starry kaleidoscope of events: new missions to the Moon, advanced telescopes, private flights to the ISS and the debut launches of advanced rockets. Each of these events brings space closer, expanding horizons and opportunities for humanity.
Share in the comments which of these events interest you the most. Follow the news to get the latest updates from the world of space and technology.
