European Space Agency
32 reportsFor European Space Agency, the central questions concern navigation systems, while also considering human spaceflight partnerships and European launch infrastructure. One line of support comes from independent scientific analyses, and a separate test comes from mission documentation; together they clarify human spaceflight partnerships, but the result is bounded by the possibility that member-state decisions and development schedules can alter program scope.
Mercury's Surface Hides Evidence of Greater Planetary Shrinkage
A new study using NASA MESSENGER data finds Mercury may have shrunk by up to 30 percent more than earlier models indicated, with impact debris masking the true scale of planetary contraction
ESA astronaut honors Star Trek legacy aboard International Space Station
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot marked Star Trek's 60th anniversary by wearing a Starfleet badge on the International Space Station, highlighting the show's influence on real-world space exploration and international scientific cooperation
Webb Telescope Reveals Rare O-Type Star Cluster in Carina Nebula
A new James Webb Space Telescope image exposes a dense cluster of newborn stars, including a rare O-type giant, inside the Treasure Chest globule in the Carina Nebula, offering a detailed look at early stellar evolution in one of the Milky Way's most active star-forming regions
SMART-1's Controlled Lunar Crash Changed How Spacecraft Reach the Moon
Europe's SMART-1 probe ended its mission with a deliberate impact on the Moon, testing solar electric propulsion and gathering data on lunar geology. The mission's engineered crash provided new insight into impact processes and spacecraft design limits
BepiColombo Prepares for Dual Mercury Orbit as Separation Nears
After nearly eight years in transit, ESA and JAXA's BepiColombo mission is set to split into two orbiters at Mercury, aiming to resolve key questions about the planet's surface, magnetic field, and formation using coordinated observations.
BepiColombo Prepares for Critical Mercury Arrival Maneuver
ESA and JAXA's BepiColombo spacecraft will soon separate its orbiters for Mercury capture, marking a pivotal phase in the mission's multi-year journey to study the planet's surface and magnetic environment
Ariane 6 Launches Final Meteosat Third Generation Weather Satellite
Europe's Ariane 6 rocket has launched the MTG-I2 satellite, completing the Meteosat Third Generation constellation for advanced weather monitoring from geostationary orbit
Field Test Links Quantum Key Distribution Over 18 km Free-Space Channel
A team in Italy has demonstrated real-time quantum key distribution across an 18-kilometer free-space link using room-temperature detectors, integrating adaptive optics to overcome atmospheric turbulence and coupling the signal into standard fiber
ISS Spacewalk Removes Failed Antenna but Leaves Replacement Unfinished
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon spent over six hours outside the International Space Station on August 18, 2026, removing a malfunctioning antenna during a technically demanding extravehicular activity
China Delays Chang'e 7 Moon South Pole Launch Amid Severe Weather
China's Chang'e 7 lunar mission, designed to search for water ice near the Moon's south pole, has been postponed due to a tropical depression threatening the Hainan launch site. The new launch window remains uncertain
Seventeen Spacecraft Reveal Asymmetric Structure in Solar Ejection
A coronal mass ejection observed in December 2024 was tracked by 17 spacecraft across the solar system, revealing an unexpected double-lobed structure with significant speed differences between its components
Mars Express Reveals Detailed 3D View of Schiaparelli Crater
ESA's Mars Express orbiter has produced a new high-resolution 3D visualization of Schiaparelli Crater and the Southern Highlands, offering fresh insight into ancient Martian water activity and surface evolution
Satellite Data Guides Eclipse Cruise to Clear Skies in 2026
A Mediterranean eclipse cruise relied on real-time satellite weather data to avoid clouds and secure a clear view of the 2026 total solar eclipse, demonstrating the critical role of geostationary satellites in astronomical observation planning
ISS Spacewalk Removes Failed Antenna but Replacement Delayed
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA's Sophie Adenot removed a nonfunctional antenna from the International Space Station during a six-hour spacewalk, but time constraints postponed installation of the replacement hardware
Sophie Adenot Becomes First French Woman to Walk in Space
European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot is set to conduct a 6.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station, marking the first time a French woman has participated in an extravehicular activity
Hubble Reveals Ancient Dwarf Galaxy Merger in Milky Way's Early History
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have identified evidence of a major merger between the young Milky Way and a dwarf galaxy nearly 12 billion years ago, pushing the timeline of our galaxy's assembly further into the past
Webb Telescope Reveals Three Supermassive Black Holes in Distant Galaxy
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified three supermassive black holes within a single galaxy seen as it was 12.5 billion years ago, offering new evidence for rapid black hole growth through mergers in the early universe
Webb Telescope Detects Water and Dust Near Milky Way's Black Hole
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified water and silicate dust around a dying star less than 0.6 light-years from Sagittarius A*, challenging assumptions about molecule survival near supermassive black holes
Partial Solar Eclipse and Perseid Meteors Offer Rare Double Event
On August 12, observers across North America and Europe will witness a partial solar eclipse by day and the Perseid meteor shower by night, with optimal viewing conditions expected due to the new moon and clear skies in many regions
Space Station Research Advances Artemis Moon and Mars Missions
NASA's International Space Station experiments in 2026 are testing technologies and studying astronaut health to support future Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars, with new results informing spacecraft design and deep space exploration
Webb Telescope Reveals Young Star Cluster in Carina Nebula
A new image from the James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam instrument captures a dense cluster of young stars in the Carina Nebula, offering fresh insight into stellar formation and the evolution of massive star groups
NASA Joins Artemis III Orion Crew and Service Modules for Lunar Mission
Technicians at Kennedy Space Center have integrated the Orion crew and service modules for Artemis III, a key milestone ahead of the mission to test lunar landing system rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit
Why Real Space Salvage Cannot Work Like Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Hardspace: Shipbreaker turns derelict spacecraft into profitable scrap, but ESA's ClearSpace-1 shows why real debris removal must avoid fragmentation, stabilize tumbling targets, and control reentry
Playmobil's Space Sets Span Star Trek, Mars and ESA Missions
From a meter-long USS Enterprise to ESA-inspired lunar rovers and compact Mars vehicles, these 13 Playmobil sets turn space exploration into hands-on play across a wide range of ages and budgets
Milky Way Disk May Have Flipped, Altering Solar System's Orbit
Supercomputer simulations suggest the Milky Way's spiral disk may have rotated by 90 degrees in the distant past, potentially changing the solar system's path and explaining the galaxy's unusually slow stellar halo rotation
What a Parsec Really Measures in Astronomy and Why It Matters
Astronomers use the parsec to measure vast cosmic distances, relying on precise observations of stellar parallax to determine how far away stars are from Earth. The unit is central to mapping the Milky Way and beyond
Hubble Reveals Asymmetric Spiral Galaxy Shaped by Cluster Forces
A new Hubble Space Telescope image captures NGC 4654, a spiral galaxy in Virgo, showing dramatic asymmetry caused by ram pressure stripping and past gravitational encounters
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Ends ISS Mission After Eight Months
Chris Williams is set to return from his first mission aboard the International Space Station, where he supported experiments on cancer therapies, semiconductor materials, and robotic systems during an eight-month stay
Webb Telescope Reveals 4.4-Billion-Year-Old Galaxy Cluster in Formation
The James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the young galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342, capturing light that began its journey 4.4 billion years ago and offering new insight into the assembly of large-scale cosmic structures
Webb Telescope Uses Gravitational Lensing to Reveal Ancient Galaxies
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of the galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342, using gravitational lensing to magnify galaxies from the universe's first billion years
Webb Telescope Reveals Merging Young Galaxy Cluster 4.4 Billion Light-Years Away
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342 as it appeared 4.4 billion years ago, capturing two massive sub-clusters in the process of merging and highlighting the gravitational effects shaping distant galaxies
Webb Telescope Detects Hidden Giant Planet in Beta Pictoris System
Astronomers have identified a third giant exoplanet in the Beta Pictoris system using the James Webb Space Telescope's spectroscopic capabilities, revealing a world previously concealed by the system's bright debris disk