The Australian Space Agency announces that 2026 is set to be a ‘standout’ year for space science and exploration from crewed lunar missions and flight tests to the launch of next-generation Australian space technologies to the moon.
One of the many activities unfolding this year includes Firefly Space’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 deploying Fleet Space Technologies’ SPIDER payload as early as late 2026.
Once deployed to the surface, SPIDER will remain tethered to Blue Ghost for power and communication services, enabling SPIDER to capture seismic data from the lunar surface.
The data will provide insights into the geological properties of the lunar subsurface and its minerals that can support lunar infrastructure and further regolith exploration.
Space is considered to be incredibly rich in minerals, with asteroids holding vast quantities of metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt – potentially exceeding Earth’s reserves.
In fact, gold – the most well-known metal that underpins economies – came from the expanses of space. Gold’s birth essentially came from a process known as supernova nucleosynthesis which occurs when a star explodes, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Mining beyond Earth
Space mining has become an increasingly popular topic of conversation in recent years, driven by Earth’s resource scarcity and the potential for new space economies. The term space mining refers to the extraction of minerals, metals, and water from asteroids, the moon, and other celestial bodies.
The Australian Space Agency reports that space exploration has led to discoveries and technologies that improve lives on Earth, including technologies that make the world healthier, help respond to climate change, increase productivity in critical industries, and expedite technological developments.
According to Wazoku CEO Simon Hill, the potential economic impact of space mining is immense as asteroids rich in platinum and gold could be worth trillions of dollars.
For example, the asteroid 16 psyche located in the asteroid belt, is believed to contain enough iron, nickel, and precious metals valued at US$10,000 quadrillion – a figure that could reshape global markets.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) estimates that there are more than 1.1 million asteroids in Earth’s solar system that are larger than 1km in diameter. For space mining, asteroids come in three main types – carbonaceous, silicaceous, and metallic.
C-type asteroids are rich in water and organic compounds, while s-type contains metals used in manufacturing and m-type contains large amounts of rare and valuable metals such as gold and platinum.
Mars is also another venue for space mining, as the planet has all the ingredients needed to make native metals, as reported by the Commonwealth of Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
As previously reported in 2025, CSIRO and Swinburne researchers investigated the production of native metals using materials found on Mars. The ingredients include iron-rich oxides in regolith and carbon from its thin atmosphere.
At the University of Edinburgh’s UK Centre for Astrobiology, a diverse group of scientists and researchers are also planning ahead for terrestrial and extraterrestrial futures.
UKCA’s founder Charles Cockell is focusing on advancing the human future primarily through microbiology and understanding how the combined stresses of outer space affect life.
With funding from the Science and Technology Facilitates Council and the partnership of independent aerospace system engineering company Kayser Italia, Cockell, alongside other researchers, says it has made strides towards a sustainable human future in space, as well as opening up new horizons for green mining technologies on Earth.
“Space is a vast place, but accessing its abundance of minerals and other essential resources is not easy as they are often difficult to obtain, for example by being locked up in rocks,” Cockell says.
Tools for the cosmos
Australia’s Roo-ver is also continuing to inspire the next science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and space generation across the nation this year.
NASA will be launching the rover in a future Artemis mission around the end of this decade, which will support global space science and exploration goals. It will also demonstrate Australian innovations on the moon.
Roo-ver is expected to operate for up to 14 Earth days, which is equivalent to about half of one moon day.
The Australian Government recently invested $42 million into developing, designing, building and operating the semi-autonomous rover across the life of the project.
Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres says this is one of the most specialised robotics and advanced manufacturing projects in Australia.
“Roo-ver is a prime example of how space can be a driver of the Albanese Labor Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda to grow national industrial capability, boost productivity, and build economic resilience,” Ayres says.
Other space-bound initiatives taking place in 2026 include CSIRO’s payload returning to Earth from the International Space Station after performing 3D scanning experiments since 2024.
A CSIRO payload is a specialised scientific instrument for space. The multi-resolution scanner showcases advanced compact design, onboard processing, and integration into satellite platforms like CubeSats and Astrobee robots to monitor Earth and support space operations.
ALEPH-1 will also be testing the survivability and growth of plants in space and on the moon, following receiving approval from the Australian Government to make its journey to the moon at the end of 2025.
The payload will demonstrate how plants can survive the journey to the moon and endure lunar surface conditions, while testing systems for supporting and monitoring plant growth in extreme environments. The mission’s insights aim to drive advancements for space and Earth-based applications.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Australian Space Agency & Fleet Space
