European Space Agency

Image: The construction phase of ESA’s Ariel mission has started at Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse (France) with the assembly of the spacecraft’s structural model. This marks a significant step forward for this mission designed to meticulously inspect the atmospheres of a thousand exoplanets and uncover their nature. In the image we see Ariel’s structural model coming together at the Airbus facilities. This model replicates the mechanical framework of the spacecraft and the mass of its various units for a first round of tough testing. The Ariel’s structural model consists of two main components: a flight-like replica of the service module (bottom right) and a simplified mechanical mock-up of the payload module (top right). This assembly mimics the structure of the flight spacecraft, where the science instruments make up the payload while the service module houses the essential components for the functioning of the spacecraft, such as the propulsion, and the power and communication systems. The goal for the end of the year is to complete the mechanical test campaign of the spacecraft’s structural model. This will ensure that Ariel’s design is up-to-spec and can withstand the mechanical strains expected during launch. The testing phase will include vibration and acoustic test campaigns. During vibration tests the model will be progressively shaken at different strengths on a vibrating table, or 'the shaker'. During acoustic tests, it will be placed in a reverberating chamber and ‘bombarded’ with very intense noise, like it will encounter during launch. This model will also be used to assess how the loads are distributed and to perform a first ‘separation and shock’ test using the same mounting system as will be used to mount the spacecraft on the Ariane 6. When ready, Ariel will be launched by an Ariane 6.2 rocket and journey to the second Lagrangian Point from where it will carry out its uniquely detailed studies of remote worlds. Image description: A collage of three photographs that show the assembly of the model of a spacecraft in a large white hall. The first image on the left shows the entire model, with a person next to it who is nearly equal in height. The second image on the upper right zooms in on the top part of the mock science instrument: a circular fan-like structure with a big rectangular silver box on top. The third image on the lower right focuses on the bottom of the model, which looks like a large round silver box. View the full article

Image: ESA Astronaut Reserve training kicks off at EAC View the full article

The two CubeSat passengers aboard ESA’s Hera mission for planetary defence have exchanged their first signals with Earth, confirming their nominal status. The pair were switched on to check out all their systems, marking the first operation of ESA CubeSats in deep space. View the full article

Video: 00:04:21 English Paxi explores wind Learn about wind, what causes it and how and why we study it in the latest Paxi adventure Spanish Paxi explora el viento Aprende sobre el viento, qué lo provoca y cómo y por qué lo estudiamos en la última aventura de Paxi. Romanian Paxi explorează vântul Aflați despre vânt, ce îl provoacă și cum și de ce îl studiem în cea mai recentă aventură Paxi. Portuguese Paxi explora o vento Aprende sobre o vento, o que o provoca e como e porquê o estudamos na mais recente aventura Paxi. Polish Paxi bada wiatr Dowiedz się więcej o wietrze, jego przyczynach oraz o tym, jak i dlaczego go badamy w najnowszej przygodzie Paxi. Norwegian Paxi utforsker vind Lær mer om vind, hva som forårsaker den og hvordan og hvorfor vi studerer den i det nyeste Paxi-eventyret. Italian Paxi osserva il vento Imparate a conoscere il vento, le sue cause e come e perché lo studiamo nell'ultima avventura di Paxi. Greek Ο Πάξι εξερευνά τον άνεμο Μάθετε για τον άνεμο, τι τον προκαλεί και πώς και γιατί τον μελετάμε στην τελευταία περιπέτεια του Paxi. German Paxi erforscht den Wind Erfahren Sie im neuesten Paxi-Abenteuer mehr über Wind, seine Ursachen und wie und warum wir ihn untersuchen. French Paxi te fait découvrir le vent Découvrez le vent, ce qui le provoque et comment et pourquoi nous l'étudions dans la dernière aventure de Paxi. Swedish Paxi utforskar vind Lär dig mer om vind, vad som orsakar den och hur och varför vi studerar den i det senaste Paxi-äventyret. Dutch Paxi onderzoekt wind Leer meer over wind, wat het veroorzaakt en hoe en waarom we het bestuderen in het nieuwste Paxi-avontuur. Danish Paxi udforsker vind Lær om vind, hvad der forårsager den, og hvordan og hvorfor vi studerer den i det seneste Paxi-eventyr. Czech Paxi zkoumá vítr V nejnovějším dobrodružství Paxi se dozvíte, co vítr způsobuje, jak a proč ho studujeme. Finnish Paxi tutkii tuulta Tutustu tuuleen, sen syihin sekä siihen, miten ja miksi sitä tutkitaan uusimmassa Paxi-seikkailussa. Estonian Paxi avastab tuult Tutvu tuulega, selle põhjustega ning sellega, kuidas ja miks me seda uurime Paxi viimases seikluses. View the full article

Video: 00:06:03 From 14 to 18 October 2024, the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) returned for its 75th edition, and ESA took on a front-centre role, from presenting Europe’s future space ambitions and showcasing major steps towards them, to addressing global challenges alongside other world space leaders. Held at the Milano Congress Centre (MiCo), the largest conference venue in Europe, the event brought together more than 11 000 experts from industry, research institutions, and space agencies worldwide. The first four days featured a comprehensive programme of events and presentations for professionals and stakeholders, while the final day was open to the public. View the full article

Week in images: 21-25 October 2024 Discover our week through the lens View the full article

New research, partially funded by ESA, reveals that the cool ‘ocean skin’ allows oceans to absorb more atmospheric carbon dioxide than previously thought. These findings could enhance global carbon assessments, shaping more effective emission-reduction policies. View the full article

What does satellite navigation have to do with sustainable development? Quite a lot, in fact. Satnav and other positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies provide critical data that support green solutions across numerous sectors. From enabling smart mobility to optimising energy grids and facilitating precision farming, the potential for PNT to drive sustainability is immense. View the full article

Image: This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image showcases the rich agricultural landscape of northern Ohio in the mid-western of the United States. View the full article

Image: Proba-1’s T-plus 23 years in orbit View the full article

Video: 00:39:06 Watch the replay of the media briefing in which ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher updates journalists on the key decisions taken at the ESA Council meeting, held in Paris on 23 and 24 October 2024. View the full article

An international team of astronomers has used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to detect the first brown dwarf candidates outside the Milky Way in the star cluster NGC 602. View the full article

ESA Impact Council Edition: Your update on space achievements An interactive publication covering captivating stories and stunning images since the last Council meeting. View the full article

Image: Cities in Emilia-Romagna, a region in northern Italy, have been hit by severe flooding after heavy rainfall over the weekend. Flooded areas are visible in this multi-temporal image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. The comparison uses an image from 8 October (before the floods) and one from 20 October (after the floods). The blue areas highlight the areas impacted by flooding. View the full article

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Image: The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. View the full article

ESA has signed a contract with OHB Italia SpA worth €63 million to begin preparatory work on the Agency’s proposed Ramses mission to the infamous asteroid Apophis. View the full article

Video: 00:03:27 On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October 2024, the European Space Agency opened the doors to the European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC, in the Netherlands, welcoming some 9000 visitors to its 13th annual Open Day. As in previous years, ESA’s largest establishment in Europe invited the public to meet space engineers, astronauts and to see actual space hardware. Attendees explored state-of-the-art facilities, interacted with ESA and NASA astronauts and discovered various job opportunities at ESA. There was also a full schedule of talks from Space Rocks, celebrating the art and culture of science and space. View the full article

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Image: VAST focus of future space frequencies View the full article

The Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions are a major leap forward in Europe’s Earth observation capabilities. With the United Kingdom’s re-entry to the EU’s Copernicus programme, funding has been confirmed to complete the development of all six Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions, as discussed this week during the International Astronautical Congress taking place in Milan, Italy. View the full article

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At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan this week, ESA signed a contract for Element #1, the first phase of the HydRON Demonstration System. HydRON, which stands for High thRoughput Optical Network, is set to transform the way data-collecting satellites communicate, using laser technology that will allow satellites to connect with each other and ground networks much faster. View the full article

With the initial images from each of the instruments aboard ESA’s EarthCARE satellite now in hand, it's time to reveal how these four advanced sensors work in synergy to measure exactly how clouds and aerosols influence the heating and cooling of our atmosphere. View the full article

On 15 October 2024, ESA’s Euclid space mission reveals the first piece of its great map of the Universe, showing millions of stars and galaxies. View the full article