12 Incredible Space Missions Set to Unravel Universe's Biggest Mysteries

12. LISA: Listening for Gravitational Waves

The universe isn’t silent—it “rings” with ripples called gravitational waves, created when massive objects like black holes collide. Enter LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), a grand partnership between ESA and NASA targeting the late 2030s. This trio of spacecraft will form a giant triangle in space, measuring tiny changes in distance as gravitational waves pass by. Why go to all this trouble? LISA will open a whole new window on the universe, listening to cosmic events impossible to detect any other way. Black holes merging, neutron stars spinning—our understanding of the most powerful happenings in the cosmos will never be the same. For anyone who’s wondered what secrets the universe is still hiding, LISA offers a chance to listen in.

What’s truly wild about today’s space revolution is the shared sense of curiosity and teamwork. Missions from the US, Europe, China, and India are all driving toward the same questions: Where did we come from? How does the universe work? And are we alone? Each spacecraft and telescope, whether heading to the Moon, scanning the sky, or bringing home bits of Mars, is part of this bigger journey we’re all on together.