Space News
Monthly Preview • May 2026
RAG Space News
What's happening, what's coming up, and what to point your scope at.
Looking Back
April 2026 — The Headlines
Artemis II splashed down on 10 April — the first humans beyond low Earth orbit in 50 years.
SpaceX won a NASA contract to launch ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars on Falcon Heavy.
Happy birthday to the Hubble space telescope who turned 36.
What's Launching
May 2026 — Missions to Watch
Three to follow: Haven-1, the world's first commercial space station, rides a Falcon 9 into orbit. Starship Flight 12 continues full-stack testing. ESA/CAS SMILE launches on Vega-C to study how solar wind shapes Earth's magnetosphere. Any one of these alone would make the month.
For Observers
What's in the Sky — May 2026
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Full Flower Moon |
Rises between Antares and Spica. Saturn nearby — good for newcomers learning the sky. (Flower Moon : May's full moon, named for spring blooms) |
| 5–6 May | Eta Aquariid Meteors | Halley's Comet debris. Peak ~04:00 UTC. Moon interferes this year — watch in the hour before dawn. |
| Mid-May | Planet Triple Conjunction | Mercury, Venus & Jupiter form a tight evening grouping low in the west. Fits a wide-angle frame. |
| 31 May | Blue Moon | Second full moon of the month. Great outreach talking point — and a photogenic target. (Blue Moon: Second full moon in a calendar month, or third in a season with four) |
Through the Lens
Astrophotography — May Targets
Milky Way core season kicks off late May — face south-south-east from about 01:00 BST. Mid-month new moon is your best window. Markarian's Chain, M104 Sombrero and the Leo Triplet are still well-placed. The three-planet conjunction fits in a 50 mm frame — don't miss it.
On the Horizon
Further Ahead
The Total Solar Eclipse crosses Spain and North Africa in August 2026 — now is a good tie to start planning your trip.. Artemis III is pressing ahead for a lunar landing. Rosalind Franklin is confirmed for a 2028 Mars launch. Over 250 orbital launches expected this year. The pace shows no sign of slowing.
Further Reading
Sources
- Space.com — Space Calendar 2026
- Wikipedia — 2026 in Spaceflight
- Sea and Sky — Astronomy Calendar 2026
- EarthSky — Meteor Shower Guide 2026
- Ten Six Photography — 2026 Astrophotography Calendar
- NASA — 2026 News Releases
- Spaceflight Now — Launch Schedule
- AstroBackyard — Astrophotography Targets by Season
RAG Space News • May 2026 • Generated 26 April 2026