Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos.

(CNN) — Here’s a look at the first moon landing on July 20, 1969. The moon landing was watched by an estimated 600 million people around the world. July 20, 1969 – [4:17 p.m. EDT] Apollo 11 becomes the first manned spacecraft to land on the moon.

If 2022 was the year the return to the moon officially started with the uncrewed flight of Artemis I, 2026 will be the year it goes into high gear.

A growing fleet of privately built spacecraft is preparing to attempt robotic landings on the moon as humanity's exploration efforts expand.