European Space Agency
The European Space Agency is an intergovernmental organization of 22 member states dedicated to the exploration of space. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Paris, ESA has a worldwide staff of about 2,200
2,629 topics in this forum
-
- 0 replies
- 575 views
As part of its Boost! programme, ESA has signed two new contracts which support UK-based Orbex and Skyrora in their separate proposals for new commercial launch services for small satellites. These services are set to start in the UK from 2022. ESA has awarded €7.45 m of cofunding to Orbex and its partners, and €3 m to Skyrora. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 524 views
Video: 00:02:20 The SMOS satellite carries a novel interferometric radiometer that operates at a frequency of 1.4 GHz in the L-band microwave range of the electromagnetic spectrum to capture 'brightness temperature' images. These images correspond to radiation emitted from Earth's surface, which scientists then use to derive information on soil moisture and ocean salinity. However, because of the wide field of view of SMOS' antenna, it doesn't just capture signals emitted from Earth's surface, but also signals from the Sun – which create noise in the brightness temperature images. These stray signals are valuable data for helping to monitor solar activity. Read fu…
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 592 views
Image: Stretches of land across New South Wales, Australia, have been hit with torrential rain leading to record-breaking floods. Data from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission are being used to map flooded areas to help relief efforts. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 493 views
Image: Lunar cave explorer View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 551 views
Data from ESA’s Gaia star mapping satellite have revealed tantalising evidence that the nearest star cluster to the Sun is being disrupted by the gravitational influence of a massive but unseen structure in our galaxy. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 488 views
Image: How much damage can debris do? View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 516 views
Urban greenery can improve air quality and promote wellbeing. ESA is working with municipal authorities to identify how space can help to create sustainable cities in which people are healthier, happier and more productive. Discover how space can help to boost the physical and mental health of city dwellers in an hour-long webinar to be held on 25 March. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 985 views
Mass is constantly being redistributed around our planet, as Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and other bodies of water on and under the surface melt, shift and stir. This mass redistribution alters Earth’s centre of gravity, which in turn speeds up and slows down the planet's spin – and so the length of the day – as well as changing the orientation of its 'spin axis'. These changes to Earth’s spin and orientation occur over relatively short timescales of days and weeks, and threaten communication between ground stations and missions in orbit and across the Solar System. ESA is working on its own algorithm to predict Earth’s orientation with extreme accuracy. Early tests sho…
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 535 views
Mars has lost most of its once plentiful water, with small amounts remaining in the planet’s atmosphere. ESA’s Mars Express now reveals more about where this water has gone, showing that its escape to space is accelerated by dust storms and the planet’s proximity to the Sun, and suggesting that some water may have retreated underground. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 506 views
Clustered at the edge of the Crocodile River in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, stand thousands of farms and small holdings growing fresh fruit and sugar cane. Water to irrigate the crops is taken from the river, but this slows its flow rate and leaves less for those downstream. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 529 views
Whilst demand for fresh water is increasing, water sources are becoming depleted and polluted. With the Global Water Partnership believing that sustainable development will not be achieved without a water secure world, can we look to space to solve our water security problems on Earth? View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 476 views
Week in images: 15 - 19 March 2021 Discover our week through the lens View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 569 views
The European Space Agency is currently looking for a new Director of Earth Observation Programmes, to join its Executive Board and support the Director General, with responsibility for relevant ESA programmes and overall objectives. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 473 views
Flight passengers will soon be able to connect to their families and colleagues on Earth via low-orbit telecommunications satellites. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 543 views
Ahead of the International Day of Forests, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over part of the Amazon rainforest in the Amazonas – the largest state in Brazil. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 598 views
ESA’s Lunar Pathfinder mission to the Moon will carry an advanced satellite navigation receiver, in order to perform the first ever satnav positioning fix in lunar orbit. This experimental payload marks a preliminary step in an ambitious ESA plan to expand reliable satnav coverage – as well as communications links – to explorers around and ultimately on the Moon during this decade. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 567 views
The latest episode of ESA Explores podcast series ‘Time and Space’ series is out now, with a focus on the launch of Europe’s Columbus laboratory. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 552 views
Image: ESA's technical heart View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 747 views
Video: 00:03:00 Born in Rouen, France, aerospace engineer and commercial pilot Thomas Pesquet was selected for ESA’s Astronaut Corps in 2009. He was launched on his first flight to the International Space Station in November 2016, remaining in space until June 2017 as part of his Proxima mission. He will soon be launched for on his second long-duration mission to the International Space Station called Alpha. Thomas has been training with the Station’s international partners for the new mission, including learning about the Crew Dragon, he will be the first ESA astronaut to fly on this new commercial spacecraft. This A&B Roll highlights Thomas Pesquet’s early t…
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 505 views
Image: Learning lessons from the past on space debris View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 997 views
With 26 satellites in orbit and more than two billion receivers in use, Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system has made a massive impact. But our continent has another satnav system that has been providing safety-of-life services for ten years now – chances are that you’ve benefited from it without noticing. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 596 views
Fluctuations in the carbon-rich biomass held within the world’s forests can contribute to, or slow, climate change. A series of new maps of above ground biomass, generated using space observations, is set to help our understanding of global carbon cycling and support forest management, emissions reduction and sustainable development policy goals. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 536 views
Image: ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will serve as commander of the International Space Station towards the end of his second mission, called Alpha, currently slated to begin on 22 April this year. The announcement was made during today’s press briefing. Thomas will be the fourth European to hold the post of commander, after ESA astronauts Frank De Winne, Alexander Gerst and Luca Parmitano. During the briefing, Thomas remarked how three back-to-back European commanders underscores the growing role of Europe in space exploration and is a testament to the hard work of ESA colleagues. ‘I am unbelievably humbled and honoured’, said Thomas. Thomas will be the first ESA as…
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 560 views
Video: 00:00:00 Watch the replay of the virtual press event in which ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet talks about his upcoming ‘Alpha’ mission to the International Space Station. Set to launch on 22 April, Thomas will be the first ESA astronaut to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon being launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, USA. In this event we will also hear from ESA ISS Utilisation Planning Team Leader Kirsten MacDonell, and Head of the ESA Human and Robotic Exploration Strategy & Coordination Group Didier Schmitt. View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency, -
- 0 replies
- 492 views
The March Council edition of ESA Impact is online View the full article
Last reply by European Space Agency,