NASA continues to develop and launch missions that will influence space exploration, science, and technology throughout the 2020s and into the 2030s. The agency’s projects touch many areas including human spaceflight, planetary science, astrophysics, and climate monitoring. Each mission builds upon decades of experience, setting the stage for new discoveries and expanding human presence beyond Earth.
Artemis Program and the Lunar Gateway
The Artemis program represents a major shift in NASA’s human spaceflight strategy. Centered around returning humans to the Moon, Artemis intends to establish a sustainable presence there by the late 2020s. Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, opened the door to Artemis II, the first crewed flight set to orbit the Moon. Later missions will send astronauts to the lunar surface, with an emphasis on landing the first woman and the first person of color.
Complementing Artemis, the Lunar Gateway will serve as a small, crew-tended space station orbiting the Moon. It will support surface expeditions and science operations, act as a communications relay, and allow NASA to test new deep space systems in preparation for missions to Mars.
Mars Sample Return Mission
Building on the success of the Perseverance rover, NASA is working with the European Space Agency to conduct the Mars Sample Return mission. The plan involves collecting rock and soil samples on Mars and transporting them back to Earth. A Sample Retrieval Lander and a Mars Ascent Vehicle will be used to launch the materials into Martian orbit, where they will be captured by an Earth Return Orbiter and delivered home.
This will mark the first time samples from another planet are brought to Earth, providing an unprecedented opportunity to study Martian geology and search for signs of past life using laboratories far more sophisticated than any sent to Mars.
James Webb Space Telescope Operations
Although the James Webb Space Telescope launched in late 2021, its findings will continue to shape astrophysics throughout the next decade. Positioned nearly one million miles from Earth, Webb is providing new insights into the formation of galaxies, the atmospheres of exoplanets, and the nature of black holes.
With planned mission extensions and upgrades through the 2030s, Webb will work in conjunction with future observatories like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, leading to a fuller understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe.
Dragonfly Mission to Titan
Dragonfly is a rotorcraft lander set to explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Launching in 2028 with arrival in the mid-2030s, the vehicle will fly to different locations on Titan’s surface to study prebiotic chemistry, investigate the moon’s geology, and assess habitability.
Dragonfly’s design allows it to move between diverse environments, including dunes, craters, and ancient frozen lakes. These studies could reveal how far complex organic chemistry has progressed on Titan, offering clues about the conditions that may lead to life elsewhere.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in 2027, will investigate dark energy, conduct wide-field imaging surveys, and search for exoplanets. Equipped with a 2.4-meter primary mirror, Roman’s field of view is 100 times larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope at comparable resolution.
Its surveys will help determine how dark energy affects the expansion of the universe and provide one of the largest catalogs of exoplanets ever created. The telescope is expected to deliver new perspectives on cosmic evolution and the potential for habitable worlds.
Earth System Observatory Missions
NASA’s Earth System Observatory consists of a coordinated series of missions designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the planet’s atmosphere, land, oceans, and climate. These satellites will monitor key phenomena such as aerosol distributions, cloud formation, ecosystem changes, and surface deformations linked to earthquakes and volcanoes.
Scheduled to be deployed throughout the decade, this observatory will enhance forecasting abilities, improve disaster response, and support long-term environmental stewardship by offering a more integrated view of Earth’s systems.
DAVINCI and VERITAS Missions to Venus
NASA is returning to Venus with two ambitious missions: DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) and VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy).
DAVINCI will study the composition of Venus’s atmosphere by sending a probe through its thick cloud layers, while VERITAS will map the planet’s surface in high resolution to understand its geologic history. These missions are designed to answer long-standing questions about why Venus developed so differently from Earth, despite their similar sizes and compositions.
CLPS Program and Lunar Robotic Exploration
NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program is supporting a series of robotic landers and rovers that will deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. Private companies are tasked with developing and operating these missions, helping to lower costs and speed deployment.
By the late 2020s, the steady stream of CLPS missions will lay the groundwork for sustainable lunar infrastructure, test critical systems needed for human exploration, and expand scientific knowledge about the Moon’s resources, particularly water ice in permanently shadowed craters.
Psyche Mission to a Metal-Rich Asteroid
Scheduled to launch in 2025, the Psyche mission will travel to a unique asteroid of the same name located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Believed to be composed largely of nickel and iron, Psyche may represent the exposed core of an early planetesimal.
Studying this metallic world will offer new insights into the building blocks of terrestrial planets and the processes that shaped the solar system. Psyche’s findings may even influence future asteroid mining concepts, given the potential value of metal-rich bodies.
Gateway Logistics Services
In parallel with the development of the Lunar Gateway, NASA is working with commercial partners through the Gateway Logistics Services program. These companies will provide cargo delivery missions to the Gateway, similar to the model used for supplying the International Space Station.
This sustained supply chain will ensure the Gateway remains operational, enabling long-term lunar expeditions and scientific activities. It will also serve as a testing ground for logistics models that could eventually support crewed Mars missions.
Summary
NASA’s missions across the next decade represent a broad strategy to expand human presence beyond Earth, deepen understanding of the solar system, and monitor changes on the home planet. From returning samples from Mars to flying on the mysterious landscapes of Titan, the agency’s projects are designed to push the boundaries of exploration and knowledge. These efforts, built on partnerships with private industry and international collaborators, are set to shape science, technology, and humanity’s role in space for many years to come.
