This year’s International Astronautical Congress will be visiting virtually the sites where Europe’s exploration of our Solar System for the 2020s is beginning. Join the free live event on 14 October that will showcase the hardware and the people that are taking Europe to the Moon and Mars and back. To source
A natural fibre that once wrapped early Egyptian mummies and was worn by Roman aristocrats has found a space-age purpose. Threading fibres from the flax plant through satellite panel material can help space missions burn up more rapidly during atmospheric reentry – making their disposal safer for people and property on the ground. To source
A crucial part of rocket reusability is a smooth return and landing. ESA has helped Romania’s National Institute for Aerospace Research, INCAS, to demonstrate vertical takeoff, short hovering and landing manoeuvres using a small-scale flight demonstrator. To source
Media representatives are invited to join an online press conference on Friday, 16 October, at 16:00 CEST (10:00 EDT) to discuss the November launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-6 ‘Michael Freilich’ ocean-monitoring satellite. Follow the briefing live on ESA Web TV . To source
A controller in Germany operated ESA’s gripper-equipped Interact rover around a simulated moonscape at the Agency’s technical heart in the Netherlands, to practice retrieving geological samples. At the same time a smaller Germany-based rover interacted with ESA’s rover as if together at the same site – in a dress rehearsal for a robotic test campaign […]
Swirling fragments of past space endeavours are trapped in orbit around Earth, threatening our future in space. Over time, the number, mass and area of these debris objects grows steadily, boosting the risk to functioning satellites. ESA’s Space Debris Office constantly monitors this ever-evolving debris situation, and every year publishes a report on the current […]
Week in images: 05-09 October 2020 Discover our week through the lens To source
Holding over 80% of Earth’s surface freshwater, lakes support and sustain communities across the planet. A new study uses satellite data to underline the vulnerability of these inland water bodies to climate change and warns of serious future consequences for many freshwater species worldwide. To source
Image: Part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park, located on the Pacific coast of southern Chile, is pictured in this image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-2. To source
Video: 00:03:49 In this week’s edition of the Earth from Space programme, we explore part of the Laguna San Rafael National Park, Chile, with Copernicus Sentinel-2.See also Laguna San Rafael National Park, Chile to download the image. To source
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer plans to take a small slice of Saarland to the International Space Station. Later this month, chefs from his home region in south-western Germany will whip up a selection of spaceworthy dishes and put these out for public vote. The most popular will be added to Matthias’ space menu for his […]
The qualification model of the P120C motor configured for Ariane 6, has been static fired on the test stand at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in a final test to prove its readiness for flight. To source
P120C final test firing Watch Ariane 6’s P120C booster hot firing at Europe’s Spaceport in a final test before flight To source