ESA Top News
Regional winners named in student Space Lab competition
European students are among the regional winners in the YouTube Space Lab student science competition, co-sponsored by ESA. The ultimate winners will have their experiment performed on the International Space Station, live-streamed to a global audience. Laser radar illuminates the way to deep space
This car was not snapped with a camera but scanned by a 3D imaging lidar, the laser equivalent of radar. ESA is developing the sensor as a navigation aid for exploring deep space. Space solutions for the Arctic
Policy, solutions and funding for new initiatives: ESA is joining forces at two events with decision-makers, universities, industry and users to map how space services can contribute to emerging challenges in the Arctic. At the forefront are climate change, transport safety and security, and sustainable exploitation. SpaceTweetup to highlight ATV mission
ESA and the French space agency, CNES, are inviting 60 Twitter followers to a joint European SpaceTweetup in Toulouse, France, for the docking of ATV Edoardo Amaldi to the International Space Station next month. Swarm constellation heads north
The three satellites that make up ESA’s Swarm magnetic field mission were presented to the media today. Following a demanding testing programme, the satellites were displayed in the cleanroom before they are shipped to Russia for their July launch. Watch 'Cradle of humankind' on the Earth from Space programme
Discover more about our planet with the Earth from Space video programme. Join us every Friday at 10:00 CET for an 800 km-high tour with spectacular images from Earth-observing satellites.
Watch online: 'Cradle of humankind' on the Earth from Space programme
Discover more about our planet with the Earth from Space video programme. Join us every Friday at 10:00 CET for an 800 km-high tour with spectacular images from Earth-observing satellites.
Fifth ATV named after Georges Lemaître
PR 4 2012 - ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATVs) are an essential contribution by Europe to running the International Space Station. Naming the fifth after Belgian scientist Georges Lemaître continues the tradition of drawing on great European visionaries to reflect Europe’s deep roots in science, technology and culture. Snow-bound Italy
ESA’s Envisat satellite has captured some unusual views of Italy after much the country suffered heavy snowfall a for second time in a week. Central and eastern Europe make history with small satellites
The first satellites entirely designed and built by Hungary, Poland, and Romania are now orbiting Earth after today’s successful maiden flight of ESA's small Vega launcher. Planck steps closer to the cosmic blueprint
ESA’s Planck mission has revealed that our Galaxy contains previously undiscovered islands of cold gas and a mysterious haze of microwaves. These results give scientists new treasure to mine and take them closer to revealing the blueprint of cosmic structure. ESA’s new Vega launcher scores success on maiden flight
PR 3 2012 - Vega, ESA’s new launch vehicle, is ready to operate alongside the Ariane 5 and Soyuz launchers after a successful qualification flight this morning from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Vega liftoff
The first Vega, flight VV01, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on its way to carry nine satellites into orbit. Watch online: Vega qualification flight
Join us for the first qualification flight of the Vega launch vehicle on Monday 13 February, with a launch window open from 11:00 to 14:00 CET (10:00 to 13:00 GMT). Vega will lift off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, to release nine satellites into orbit and add a new capability to Europe's fleet of launch systems. Live transmission starts at 10:40 CET.
Final ‘go’ for Vega launch
Vega is all set for launch on Monday. The new launcher passed its final hurdle on Saturday at Europe’s Spaceport, the Launch Readiness Review, and is ready for liftoff. Could Venus be shifting gear?
ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft has discovered that our cloud-covered neighbour spins a little slower than previously measured. Peering through the dense atmosphere in the infrared, the orbiter found surface features were not quite where they should be. Watch ‘Mountains of snow’ on the Earth from Space programme
Discover more about our planet with the Earth from Space video programme. Join us every Friday at 10:00 CET for an 800 km-high tour with spectacular images from Earth-observing satellites.
Rockot to launch two Sentinel satellites
ESA and Eurockot today signed contracts for launching two ESA satellites: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-3A will fly in 2013 on Rockot vehicles from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia for Europe’s GMES programme. Watch online: ‘Mountains of snow’ on the Earth from Space programme
Discover more about our planet with the Earth from Space video programme. Join us every Friday at 10:00 CET for an 800 km-high tour with spectacular images from Earth-observing satellites.