Image: The 10-m high fairing of Europe’s inaugural Vega-C launcher atop a structural model of its upper stage, being prepared for acoustic testing within ESA’s Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF) – which is able to simulate the extreme noise of a rocket take-off. Vega-C , due for its first flight next year, is a more […]
Image: Where does the topic of space come in the priorities of European citizens? Presented in this infographic, the answers may surprise you. Two Harris Interactive studies conducted online for ESA in December 2018 and September 2019 reveal how passionate and concerned Europeans are about space and its challenges. The studies used a representative sample […]
Image: The team behind ESA’s Interact Centaur rover are all smiles after ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano successfully manoeuvres the rover in the Netherlands from space. Last week’s dry-run of the Analog-1 experiment , in which Luca completed a “proficiency run” to test the system, set the stage for another flawless performance on 25 November. Taking […]
Follow the opening remarks and discussions from Space19+, the ESA Council at Ministerial Level, live from Seville, Spain, on 27 November. To source
The first test models of Ariane 6 are being manufactured while Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, is preparing to test the launch vehicle and all systems involved with launch. To source
Pierre-Yves Cousteau is a marine conservationist, professional diver and filmmaker. Prior to exploring the oceans like his father Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the famous undersea explorer, he joined ESA as a Young Graduate Trainee in 2008. Pierre-Yves shares his recollections of ESA and the space sector and his experience of now being the head of his own […]
Image: Torrential downpours have battered many parts of Italy this month, with extreme flooding wreaking havoc across northern Italy. The province of Alessandria is said to be one of the worst-affected areas according to Italian media, with around 200 people evacuated and 600 said to be left stranded. This multi-temporal image uses two separate […]
Amateur astronomers around the world are being asked to help the proposed ESA asteroid mission. As well as exploring its final destination – the Didymos binary asteroid system – the Hera spacecraft could potentially fly past one or more bodies on the way. But the mission team require additional observations to help select their targets. […]
ESA’s ESTEC Test Centre in the Netherlands has completed its initial test campaign for the future of European weather forecasting – MetOp Second Generation. To source
How space can boost smart city life was highlighted at two international conferences held last week. Some 25 000 people from 700 cities in 140 countries attended the events, where ESA showcased the work of dozens of the companies it is working with on smart city projects. To source
Image: The first map of the global geology of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has been completed, revealing a dynamic world with dunes, lakes, plains, craters and other terrains. The map is based on data from the international Cassini mission, which performed more than 120 flybys of Titan during its time at the Saturn system, between […]
The odds are high that you have already interacted with one of ESA’s most-far-reaching inventions without realising it. Terahertz security cameras – currently employed in 18 countries including many major airports and the LA Metro – scan passengers for concealed weapons or contraband in their clothing from up to 10 metres away, operating on an […]
Discover our week through the lens (18-22 November 2019). To source