Space News & Blog Articles

Image: Ambassador Andreas for WILD Nature Foundation

Watch Mercury appear from the shadows as the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft sped by the planet’s night side during its 19 June 2023 close flyby, and enjoy a special flyover of geologically rich terrain, along with a bonus 3D scene.

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Watch the replay of the press briefing on space transportation from Paris Air Show 2023. Speakers will share the current status of the Ariane 6 programme, and the next key milestones towards the inaugural flight.

We are almost halfway through the week of the 54th edition of the Paris Air Show. 

The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has made its third of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury, snapping images of a newly named impact crater as well as tectonic and volcanic curiosities as it adjusts its trajectory for entering Mercury orbit in 2025.

Image: Some of the most severe marine heat increases on Earth are occurring in the seas surrounding the UK and Ireland. Satellite measurements show that water temperatures in certain areas are above average for this time of year.

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Experience the thrill of the Paris Air Show 2023 with our 360VR tour! Join ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer as he guides you through the ESA pavilion, showcasing the Euclid satellite and the incredible journey of Juice to Jupiter. Immerse yourself in the excitement and mysteries of the universe.

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Watch the replay of the conference on Europe’s ambitions in human and robotic space exploration, streamed live from Le Bourget. Speakers include ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, CNES CEO Philippe Baptiste and Director General of the German Space Agency Walther Pelzer. ESA astronauts Thomas Pesquet, Samantha Cristoforetti and Matthias Maurer will contribute their views.

The final two crewmembers of Crew-7, where ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen is the pilot, has been announced. They will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) later this summer.

Seven CubeSat missions that demonstrate a variety of services including connectivity and secure communications are being developed by small and medium-sized companies and universities in Greece, following an open call and selection by ESA.

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The Paris Air Show is one the oldest and largest aerospace event in the world and of course ESA is there!

With commercial companies playing an increasingly important role in creating a dynamic and innovative space industry, nine New Space satellite data suppliers have joined the Copernicus programme as ‘Contributing Missions’. Today, at the Le Bourget Paris Air Show, ESA and the European Commission further embraced the era of New Space by welcoming these nine companies into the fold and celebrating the contribution they will make in monitoring our changing world.

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ESA’s Euclid mission is designed to bring the dark side of the Universe to light. Based on the way galaxies rotate and orbit one another, and the way in which the Universe is expanding, astronomers believe that two unseen entities dominate the composition of our cosmos. They call these mysterious components dark matter and dark energy, yet to date we have not been able to detect either of them directly, only inferring their presence from the effects they have on the Universe at large.

Week in images: 12-16 June 2023

Image: Copernicus Sentinel-3’s wide view captures the eastern edge of the Mediterranean and surrounding countries.

The Paris Air Show, one the oldest and largest aerospace events in the world, is back at Le Bourget from 19 to 25 June. ESA is taking part to showcase the Agency’s latest accomplishments, highlight upcoming endeavours and present what’s next in the European Space Agency’s long-term ambitions. There will also be an intense week-long programme of lively panels and sessions, some of which will be livestreamed on ESA Web TV and Twitter. So, whether you are in Paris or not, you can join us at Le Bourget by watching our broadcasts! 

Image: As climate change increases the risk of wildfires across the globe, the spate of fires that hit Canada in May and June suggest that 2023 is on course to be the country’s worst fire season to date. These fires not only pose a serious threat to human life, wildlife, the environment and property, they also affect air quality.

ESA’s pair of Sun-watching Proba-3 satellites have been placed in take-off configuration, one on top of the other, for testing in simulated launch and space conditions at IABG in Germany, ahead of their planned lift-off next year.

Over 90 participants were up for the challenge to visualise just how much we know and don’t know in the Universe and explain the #CosmicMystery that ESA’s Euclid mission will soon begin to investigate. From songs, crochets and animations to apparel, paintings and baked goods, the creativity of participants amazed the judges.