A pivotal year for space exploration: what to watch in 2012

Space · Published 11 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: 2012 stands as a transformative era for orbital travel. From the European Space Agency's strategic ministerial decisions to the dawn of private space tourism and commercial cargo deliveries to the International Space Station, the year promises to redefine how humanity interacts with the cosmos.

For the European Space Agency (ESA), 2012 represents a critical juncture for the future of European space capabilities. A major ministerial conference scheduled for the end of the year will serve as a significant decision point for the agency's trajectory. Meanwhile, long-duration human presence in orbit continues with André Kuipers, who is conducting the PromISSe mission aboard the International Space Station. His stay, which is the fourth ESA long-duration mission, is expected to continue until May. To support these orbital efforts, the third European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) cargo ship is tasked with delivering essential food and supplies to the station.

Beyond logistics, 2012 marks a milestone for launch technology and private enterprise. The new Vega launcher is slated to perform its qualifying flight from the European Spaceport in French Guiana. Simultaneously, the landscape of space tourism is shifting. Virgin Galactic, founded by Sir Richard Branson, aims to transition its SpaceShipTwo vehicle from unpowered glide tests to its first powered flight test. This move brings the company closer to its goal of offering suborbital joy rides to paying passengers, with initial costs estimated at $200,000 per person.

The commercial sector is also making significant strides in station resupply. SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket on February 7, marking the first time a private vehicle will make a maiden voyage to the International Space Station. This mission will require the station's robotic arm to berth the capsule once it reaches range. Following this, Orbital Sciences Corp. is set to debut its Cygnus capsule, which is expected to fly atop the Taurus 2 rocket in May.

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