Space operations will become more dynamic this year

From civil science and exploration missions to national security, there are many space activities to look forward to in 2026. There will be at least three missions heading to the moon, Vast’s Haven-1 is scheduled to launch as the first prospective commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) destination. But perhaps more importantly, there will be a bow wave of upcoming space activities that will create more dynamic, flexible and responsive space operations. This potentially transformational shift, enabled by the ability to refuel and repair spacecraft on-orbit, will be vital for civil, commercial and national security space activities alike.

Among the keys to this change will be methods to refuel satellites and deliver dynamic effects rapidly to meet urgent needs with the recognition that space is now a warfighting domain. That’s the impetus behind a series of Space Force and DARPA missions in 2026, including Tetra-5, a robotic service and the continuation of Victus missions.

Tetra-5 is a joint venture between Space Systems Command and the Air Force Research Lab to demonstrate autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, docking and refueling technologies, potentially paving the way for an on-orbit refueling architecture.

Beyond refueling, there are other methods to improve the dynamic nature of spacecraft set for 2026. DARPA’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) will demonstrate the ability to adapt spacecraft to new missions and conditions through modularity and servicing or repair via the use of two robotic arms.

The RSGS robotic payload is attached to the Mission Robotics Vehicle provided by Northrop Grumman’s Space Logistics LLC. The potential to repair and upgrade satellites will help normalize space operations with those in every other domain where access to vehicles is commonplace. New operational concepts and methods to deploy spacecraft will likely evolve from this new access and utility.

The Space Force also plans to further develop its capacity for tactically responsive launch by building on the success of the 2023 Victus Nox demonstration. Victus Haze will perform a rapid response to a threat that will include the launch and operations of a space domain awareness satellite.

Two similar efforts, Victus Surgo and Victus Salo, will launch satellites from Impulse Space to a geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) transfer orbit and LEO, respectively, and will demonstrate the benefits of modular approaches and significant thrust and delta-V capability to space domain awareness missions.

But not all 2026 missions that improve the dynamic nature of space operations are tied to military activities. Commercial, international and interplanetary missions all rely on related technical advancements.

A partnership between the United States’ Argo Space Corp and France’s Infinite Orbits will also perform on-orbit servicing at GEO.

Argo’s refuelable spacecraft uses water as propellant. This approach is more affordable and less toxic than traditional spacecraft propulsion systems such as hydrazine. It also creates the potential to leverage harvested lunar ice as a fuel source for future missions.

Refueling technologies are essential for sustaining operations on the moon and venturing to Mars.

Space operations are on the cusp of becoming more dynamic and 2026 will be a pivotal year for this goal in all its forms. Whether it’s for national security missions in Earth’s orbit or reaching Mars, the ability to refuel and repair spacecraft stands as the next plateau of space operations. As a result, the combination of refueling, rapid response and servicing capabilities will enable a fundamental shift in how we think about operations, design spacecraft and execute missions.

Of course, these are all planned activities and reality has a nasty way of foiling the best laid plans. But with consistent and concerted efforts from so many approaches, success is just a matter of time.

Charles Galbreath is director of the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence and partner at Elara Nova.

This article first appeared in the January 2026 issue of SpaceNews Magazine.

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