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List of proposed Solar System probes

Topic: Engineering

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 9 min
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There are currently various proposed space probes to focus on the exploration of the Solar System. For planned missions to the Moon see the dedicated list of missions to the Moon, with its section future missions. Launched probes are in the List of Solar System probes and the List of active Solar System probes.

Scheduled missions

Mission name Launch date Target Description Ref(s)
United States EscaPADE November 2025[needs update] Mars Two orbiters [1]
JapanFranceGermany Martian Moons eXploration and Idefix rover 2026 Mars Phobos sample return mission, Phobos rover, Deimos flyby [2]
United StatesNew Zealand Venus Life Finder NET summer 2026 Venus Atmospheric probe by Rocket Lab and MIT [3]
Europe M-Argo 2027 Asteroid Cubesat mission to a near-Earth asteroid [4]
Japan DESTINY+ 2028 Asteroid Asteroid 3200 Phaethon flyby [5]
United States Dragonfly July 2028 Saturn / Titan Titan rotorcraft lander [6]
Europe Rosalind Franklin 2028 Mars Mars rover, ExoMars [7][8]
China Tianwen-3 2028 Mars Mars sample return mission [9]
United Arab Emirates MBR Explorer 2028 Asteroid Flyby mission to seven asteroids [10]
India Venus Orbiter Mission 2028 Venus Orbiter [11]
China Tianwen-4 September 2029 Jupiter, Uranus Jupiter and Callisto orbiter, Uranus flyby [12][13]
EuropeJapan Comet Interceptor 2029 Comet Flyby of an Oort Cloud comet [14][15]
United States VERITAS 2029 Venus Orbiter [16]
Europe EnVision 2031 Venus Orbiter [17]
India Mangalyaan-2 2031 Mars Orbiter and lander [18][19]
United States DAVINCI 2032 Venus Orbiter and atmospheric probe [20]

Proposed missions

Mission name Preliminary launch date estimate Target Description Ref(s)
Estimated launch date Estimate by Estimate as of
China Shensuo (Interstellar Express) In 2019, the mission was planned to be launched in 2024. There are no updates after 2019. Outer planets "Voyager-like" mission to outer planets [21][22]
United StatesEurope NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return The original mission plan is under review due to cost constraints; NASA "is expected to confirm the program – and its design – in the second half of 2026". Mars Mars sample return mission [23][24]
China Asteroid deflection mission 2027 CNSA 2025 Asteroid Asteroid deflection mission; one possible target is 2015 XF261 [25][26]
Europe Ramses 2028 ESA 2024 Asteroid Orbiter [27][28]
China Solar Polar Orbit Observatory 2029 National Space Science Center 2025 Sun High-inclination solar orbiter, Jupiter flyby [29]
Japan Tera-hertz Explorer Originally planned to be launched in "2020s". There are no updates after 2021. Mars Orbiter and lander [30][31]
United States Uranus Orbiter and Probe NET 2031 NASA 2023 Uranus Orbiter and probe [32][33]
China Venus atmospheric sample return 2033 DSEL/CNSA 2025 Venus Return atmospheric samples from Venus [34]
United States Interstellar Probe 2036 NASA 2022 Outer planets "Voyager on steroids" [35]
Russia Venera-D 2036 Russian Academy of Sciences 2025 Venus Orbiter and lander [36]
United States Enceladus Orbilander 2038 NASA 2023 Saturn / Enceladus Enceladus orbiter/lander [37]
China Mars Research Station for ISRU 2038 DSEL/CNSA 2025 Mars Mars surface research station for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) [34]
China Probe to Neptune and Triton 2039 DSEL/CNSA 2025 Neptune / Triton Exploration of Neptune and its moon Triton [34]
Europe Probe to Enceladus 2042 ESA 2024 Saturn / Enceladus Enceladus lander [38][39]

Suspended missions

The following missions were suspended or cancelled because of political, budgetary, or other reasons. The spacecraft were already assembled at the time of suspension/cancellation, so these missions can be resumed.

Mission name Cancellation date Description Status and reason Ref(s)
United States Janus 2023 Dual asteroids probe Was expected to be a secondary payload on the Psyche launch. After the delay, it was assessed that Janus wouldn't be able to reach the required trajectory. Both spacecraft were placed into long-term storage. [40]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Foust, Jeff (September 24, 2025). "ESCAPADE launch on New Glenn planned for late October or early November". https://spacenews.com/escapade-launch-on-new-glenn-planned-for-late-october-or-early-november/. 
  2. ↑ "MMX - Martian Moons eXploration" (in en). https://www.mmx.jaxa.jp/en/. "The current schedule has a launch date in JFY 2026, followed by Martian orbit insertion in JFY 2027 and the spacecraft will return to Earth in JFY 2031." 
  3. ↑ "Rocket Lab Mission to Venus". https://www.morningstarmissions.space/rocketlabmissiontovenus. 
  4. ↑ "ESA Technology CubeSats" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Technology_CubeSats/ESA_Technology_CubeSats. 
  5. ↑ "宇宙科学・探査ミッションの進捗状況について" (in ja). ISAS. CAO. 9 October 2024. p. 11. https://www8.cao.go.jp/space/comittee/27-kagaku/kagaku-dai63/siryou2.pdf. 
  6. ↑ "NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Dragonfly Mission". NASA. 25 November 2024. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-dragonfly-mission/. 
  7. ↑ "NASA, European Space Agency Unite to Land Europe's Rover on Mars - NASA" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-european-space-agency-unite-to-land-europes-rover-on-mars/. 
  8. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2024-04-10). "ESA awards contract to Thales Alenia Space to restart ExoMars" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/esa-awards-contract-to-thales-alenia-space-to-restart-exomars/. 
  9. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2024-03-08). "China targets 2030 for Mars sample return mission, potential landing areas revealed" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/china-targets-2030-for-mars-sample-return-mission-potential-landing-areas-revealed/. 
  10. ↑ Kenneth Chang (May 29, 2023). "The United Arab Emirates Is Heading for the Asteroid Belt". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/science/uae-asteroid-mission.html. 
  11. ↑ "Union Cabinet Approves India's Mission to Venus, and Sample Return from the Moon". https://www.isro.gov.in/UnionCabinetApprovesIndiasMission.html. 
  12. ↑ CNSA Watcher [@CNSAWatcher] (23 December 2023). "Tianwen-4, launching Sept 2029, will journey to Jupiter using Venus & Earth gravity assists. Targeting Jupiter capture by Dec 2035 & a Uranus flyby in March 2045, the mission includes 2 probes, one exploring Jupiter's system and another flying by Uranus.". https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher/status/1738469749179171088. 
  13. ↑ Andrew Jones published (2022-09-22). "China wants to probe Uranus and Jupiter with 2 spacecraft on one rocket" (in en). https://www.space.com/china-probes-jupiter-uranus-same-launch. 
  14. ↑ "ESA's new mission to intercept a comet" (in en-GB). http://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_s_new_mission_to_intercept_a_comet. 
  15. ↑ "Comet Interceptor" (in en-GB). http://www.cometinterceptor.space/. 
  16. ↑ "NASA Selects 2 Missions to Study 'Lost Habitable' World of Venus - NASA" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-2-missions-to-study-lost-habitable-world-of-venus/. 
  17. ↑ "ESA selects revolutionary Venus mission EnVision". ESA. 10 June 2021. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/ESA_selects_revolutionary_Venus_mission_Envision. 
  18. ↑ Kuthunur, Sharmila (17 May 2024). "India's ambitious 2nd Mars mission to include a rover, helicopter, sky crane and a supersonic parachute". https://www.space.com/india-mangalyaan-2-mars-mission-rover-helicopter-sky-crane. 
  19. ↑ "Unmanned helicopter likely to join India's second space odyssey to Mars". rfi. 5 March 2024. https://www.rfi.fr/en/science-and-technology/20240305-unmanned-helicopter-likely-to-join-india-s-second-space-odyssey-to-mars. 
  20. ↑ "FY 2025 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET REQUEST SUMMARY". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2025-budget-request/. 
  21. ↑ Wu, Weiren; Yu, Dengyun; Huang, Jiangchuan; Zong, Qiugang; Wang, Chi; Yu, Guobin; He, Rongwei; Wang, Qian et al. (2019-01-09). "Exploring the solar system boundary" (in en). Scientia Sinica Informationis 49 (1): 1. doi:10.1360/N112018-00273. ISSN 2095-9486. 
  22. ↑ Jones, Andrew (November 19, 2019). "China Considers Voyager-like Mission to Interstellar Space". Planetary.org (The Planetary Society). https://www.planetary.org/articles/china-voyager-like-interstellar-mission. 
  23. ↑ "NASA to Explore Two Landing Options for Returning Samples from Mars - NASA". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-explore-two-landing-options-for-returning-samples-from-mars/. 
  24. ↑ Berger, Eric (11 September 2025). "NASA found intriguing rocks on Mars, so where does that leave Mars Sample Return?" (in en). https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/09/nasa-found-intriguing-rocks-on-mars-so-where-does-that-leave-mars-sample-return/. 
  25. ↑ Lea, Robert (11 July 2024). "China plans to deflect an asteroid by 2030 to showcase Earth protection skills" (in en). https://www.space.com/china-planning-planetary-defense-asteroid-mission. 
  26. ↑ Foust, Jeff. "China reschedules planetary defense mission for 2027 launch". https://spacenews.com/china-reschedules-planetary-defense-mission-for-2027-launch/. 
  27. ↑ "ESA moves forward with Apophis mission preparations". https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Planetary_Defence/ESA_moves_forward_with_Apophis_mission_preparations. 
  28. ↑ "Introducing Ramses, ESA's mission to asteroid Apophis". https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Planetary_Defence/Introducing_Ramses_ESA_s_mission_to_asteroid_Apophis. 
  29. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2025-02-25). "China to send a spacecraft out of the ecliptic to study the Sun's poles" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/china-to-send-a-spacecraft-out-of-the-ecliptic-to-study-the-suns-poles/. 
  30. ↑ Takeshi Kuroda, Yasuko Kasai, Shinichi Nakasuka, Hiroyuki Maezawa, Takayoshi Yamada, Ryohei Takahashi: TEREX-1: A micro-satellite terahertz lander for the exploration of water/oxygen resources on Mars. 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Abstract B0.5-0006-21 (oral), id.223, January 2021.
  31. ↑ Kasai, Yasuko (13 June 2018). "Tera-hertz Explorer, TEREX, Mission". University of Tsukuba. NICT. https://www2.ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp/Astro/assets/doc/uchu-forum-2018-06-13-kasai.pdf. 
  32. ↑ Simon, Amy; Nimmo, Francis; Anderson, Richard C. (7 June 2021). "Journey to an Ice Giant System: Uranus Orbiter and Probe". Planetary Mission Concept for the 2023–2032 Planetary Science Decadal Survey (NASA). https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Qlun6EF0v472eOMXXokHxa6B2tBLNkdv. Retrieved 1 May 2022. 
  33. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2023-05-03). "Plutonium availability constrains plans for future planetary missions" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/plutonium-availability-constrains-plans-for-future-planetary-missions/. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Jones, Andrew (2025-03-27). "China unveils planetary exploration roadmap targeting habitability and extraterrestrial life". https://spacenews.com/china-unveils-planetary-exploration-roadmap-targeting-habitability-and-extraterrestrial-life/. 
  35. ↑ Stone, Richard (28 July 2022). "'Voyager on steroids.' Mission would probe mysterious region beyond our Solar System" (in en). Science. doi:10.1126/science.ade1070. https://www.science.org/content/article/voyager-steroids-mission-probe-mysterious-region-beyond-solar-system. Retrieved 15 August 2022. 
  36. ↑ "Президент РАН сообщил о переносе сроков российских миссий на Луну и Венеру". https://meduza.io/news/2025/08/22/prezident-ran-soobschil-o-perenose-srokov-rossiyskih-missiy-na-lunu-i-veneru. 
  37. ↑ MacKenzie, Shannon M.; Kirby, Karen W.; Greenauer, Peter J.; Neveu, Marc; Gold, Rob; Davila, Alfonso; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Cable, Morgan et al. (14 October 2020). "Encealdus Orbilander: A Flagship Mission Concept for Astrobiology" (in en). NASA Technical Reports Server. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20205008712. Retrieved 26 April 2024. 
  38. ↑ "Saturn's moon Enceladus top target for ESA" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Saturn_s_moon_Enceladus_top_target_for_ESA. 
  39. ↑ "L4 to Enceladus Exploring the habitability of Saturn’s Icy Moons". ESA. https://www.science.esa.int/web/cm25/l4-to-enceladus. 
  40. ↑ "NASA to Store Janus Spacecraft, Mission to Study Asteroid Systems – Janus" (in en-US). 2023-07-11. https://blogs.nasa.gov/janus/2023/07/11/nasa-to-store-janus-spacecraft-mission-to-study-asteroid-systems/. 



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