LUME GRAVITY Reach

REACH / MISSIONS IN MOTION

Before Titan.

Juice heads for Jupiter’s moons, MMX is now on its way to the moons of Mars, Hera will investigate an asteroid impact, and Artemis prepares further human exploration of the Moon. Four journeys to follow while Dragonfly takes shape.

Explore the journeys ↓

Original LUME Gravity artistic interpretation · Not mission imagery

THE WATCHLIST · UPDATED 20 OCT 2026

The next signal
may come from anywhere.

Completed milestones are labelled after agency confirmation; future dates remain planned. MMX launched on 19 October and is beginning its journey to Mars. We add a new note when there is evidence worth sharing.

Poster illustration: LUME Gravity (not mission imagery) · Video: European Space Agency (ESA) · Official publication ↗

01 / ESA28 SEP 2026 · EARTH FLYBY COMPLETED

Earth → Jupiter

Juice

How do you reach an ocean world?

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, is travelling to study Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. It will investigate their environments and the oceans thought to lie beneath their ice. Juice completed an Earth gravity assist on 28 September 2026, continuing its route to Jupiter.

Mission source · ESA

What is ESA’s Juice mission?

Juice stands for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer. It is a robotic spacecraft travelling to study Jupiter and three large moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.

Why study icy moons?

Their frozen surfaces may conceal liquid-water oceans. Juice will investigate their ice, interiors and environments to understand these worlds and their potential habitability.

Will Juice land on a moon?

No. It will make flybys and later orbit Ganymede, using remote measurements to study the moons rather than landing or drilling through their ice.

Is Juice the same mission as Europa Clipper?

No. Juice is led by ESA and focuses especially on Ganymede. NASA’s Europa Clipper focuses on Europa; their observations will offer complementary views of Jupiter’s moons.

Read the official explanations: ESA Juice overview ↗

Illustration: LUME Gravity (not mission imagery) · Original film: DLR ↗

02 / JAXA · CNES · DLR19 OCT 2026 · LAUNCHED

Mars → Phobos → Earth

MMX

What is a moon made of?

Japan’s MMX mission has begun its journey to the Martian moons. It will study Phobos and Deimos and return a sample from Phobos. The spacecraft carries Idefix, a Franco-German rover that will explore Phobos before the sample-collection operations.

Follow MMX and Idefix Mission source · JAXA

What is Japan’s MMX mission?

Martian Moons eXploration is a JAXA-led robotic mission to investigate Phobos and Deimos, the two small moons of Mars, and return samples from Phobos to Earth.

Why visit Phobos rather than Mars itself?

The origins of the Martian moons remain uncertain. Their material could reveal whether they were captured asteroids or formed from debris after a large impact on Mars.

How will MMX investigate the moons?

The spacecraft will observe both moons and collect surface material from Phobos. Scientists will analyse the returned samples alongside measurements made in space.

Will it bring back samples from Deimos too?

No. The planned sample return is from Phobos. Deimos will be studied remotely, allowing comparisons between the two moons.

Read the official explanations: JAXA mission overview ↗

Illustration: LUME Gravity (not mission imagery) · Original film: ESA ↗

03 / ESANOV 2026 · PLANNED ARRIVAL

Didymos · Dimorphos

Hera

What changed after the impact?

ESA’s Hera is travelling to Didymos and its small asteroid moon, Dimorphos. NASA’s DART deliberately struck Dimorphos and changed its orbit. Hera will measure the aftermath to help scientists understand how an impact could deflect an asteroid if needed in the future.

Mission source · ESA

What is ESA’s Hera mission?

A robotic mission to Didymos and its small companion, Dimorphos. It will investigate what happened after NASA’s DART spacecraft deliberately struck Dimorphos in 2022.

Why deliberately hit an asteroid?

DART tested whether an impact could change an asteroid moon’s orbit. Hera’s measurements will help explain the result and improve a possible future planetary-defence technique.

Are these asteroids threatening Earth?

No. Didymos and Dimorphos were selected for an experiment, not because they were on a collision course with Earth.

What will Hera measure?

It will study the asteroids’ shapes, surfaces and physical properties, including Dimorphos’s mass and the aftermath of the impact. Two small companion spacecraft will add further measurements.

Read the official explanations: ESA Hera overview ↗ · ESA explains the DART test ↗

Poster illustration: LUME Gravity (not mission imagery) · Video: NASA · Official publication ↗

04 / NASA · ESA2027 · ARTEMIS III FLIGHT TEST

Low Earth orbit · Lunar landing preparations

Artemis

What must work before a landing?

Artemis is NASA’s programme of missions to develop human exploration of the Moon. Artemis III is planned as a crewed test in low Earth orbit, including rendezvous and docking with lunar lander systems. NASA targets Artemis IV for the programme’s first crewed lunar South Pole landing in 2028.

Mission source · NASA

What is NASA’s Artemis programme?

A series of missions developing human exploration of the Moon, with international and commercial partners. The programme also builds experience and technology for future journeys to Mars.

Is Artemis one spacecraft or one flight?

Neither. It combines rockets, the Orion crew spacecraft, landers and other systems across several missions. Each flight has its own objectives.

Does every Artemis mission land on the Moon?

No. Test flights can take place around Earth or the Moon without a landing. They check systems and procedures needed for later surface missions.

What is Artemis III currently planned to do?

NASA plans a crewed test in low Earth orbit in 2027, including rendezvous and docking with lunar lander systems. It is a preparation step, not the programme’s first crewed lunar landing.

Read the official explanations: NASA Artemis programme ↗ · NASA Artemis III plan ↗

THE JOURNEY WE FOLLOW CLOSEST

And then,
Dragonfly.

Follow Dragonfly’s development and its planned exploration of Titan.

Enter the Dragonfly Observatory