2026 Lunar Orbit Return and Key Eclipses

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The moon and sun will dominate the cosmic calendar in 2026, marking the return of astronauts to lunar orbit for the first time in more than 50 years and featuring a series of striking eclipses visible from remote corners of the globe.

NASA's Artemis program will launch early in the year with a crew of three Americans and one Canadian, commanded by Reid Wiseman. The 10-day mission will send the astronauts on a flyby past the moon, looping behind its far side before returning to Earth. No landing is planned, but Wiseman noted the crew could become the first to observe large unexplored regions of the lunar far side overlooked by Apollo missions. "Their observations could be a boon for geologists and other experts picking future landing sites," he said. Subsequent missions will include surface landings, while robotic efforts accelerate exploration. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, plans to test a 26-foot prototype of its Blue Moon lander designed for NASA astronauts. Other U.S. companies, including Astrobotic Technology, Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace, aim to deploy scientific payloads, with Firefly targeting the moon's far side. China will send a...