Space has given us plenty to talk about in 2026. From astronauts travelling around the Moon again and new rockets reaching orbit, to Voyager 2 still sending back data almost 50 years after launch, this year has brought some incredible achievements in space exploration.  

For World Space Week, we’re looking back at five moments that have shaped the sector this year so far…

1. Astronauts head back towards the Moon

For the first time in more than 50 years, astronauts travelled around the Moon again. 

On 1 April, NASA’s Artemis II mission took four astronauts around the Moon aboard Orion, the first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. As well as making history, the mission put key systems to the test ahead of future missions to the Moon.  

It’s a major step in our return to the Moon and one that ties closely to conversations at FIA2026 around the future of exploration beyond Earth’s orbit. On the opening day of this year's Airshow, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman gave an insightful update on the Artemis programme and shared the timelines for the next major milestones. 

(Space Zone at Farnborough International Airshow 2026)

2. Voyager 2 marks 49 years in space

Yes, 49 years old! NASA’s Voyager 2 celebrated its birthday on 20 August. More than 13.2 billion miles from Earth, it is still returning scientific data from interstellar space. 

Engineers at NASA have now freed enough electrical power to keep its three remaining science instruments operating for at least another year. 

Almost half a century after launch, Voyager 2 is still adding to our understanding of a region reached by only the two Voyager spacecraft.

3. Europe reaches a commercial launch milestone

Isar Aerospace marked a big moment for European spaceflight when its Spectrum rocket reached orbit from Norway, successfully delivering satellites and equipment into space. It was the first privately developed European rocket to achieve this from continental Europe. 

At FIA2026, access to orbit was firmly on the agenda too, with UK launch capability among the subjects explored in the Space Zone Theatre.

(From First Launch to Launch Cadence panel discussion at FIA2026 and the UK Space Agency stand)

4. Starship reaches orbit 

September ended with a big moment for SpaceX. After years of prior test flights, Starship reached low earth orbit for the first time. 

It also carried 26 Starlink satellites into space, showing it could deliver satellites as well as reach orbit. Future Starship rockets will have the capacity to launch 60 satellites, a huge increase from earlier models. It also represents another step towards SpaceX’s goal of making Starship fully reusable. 

5. A world-first laser link connects an aircraft to space

In March, ESA and Airbus achieved a world first, using a laser to connect an aircraft with a satellite 36,000 km above Earth. The connection reached speeds of 2.6 Gbps and remained stable for several minutes.

The technology could offer a faster and more secure way to send large amounts of data between aircraft and satellites. With traditional radio frequencies becoming increasingly crowded, it could play an important role in the future of aviation, maritime and defence communications.

What comes next?

What stands out about 2026 is not one single breakthrough, but the range of progress happening at once. Humans are travelling beyond low Earth orbit again, spacecraft are pushing deeper into the Solar System, decades-old missions are still delivering science and new launch systems are reaching orbit. 

For us at Farnborough International Airshow, these developments bring many of the conversations at the Space Zone to life, from cislunar infrastructure and international collaboration to sustainability and launch capability. 

And with FIA2026 now over, we can't wait to see how far the conversation progresses and what further innovations become reality by FIA2028.