Tag: ESA
-
Soyuz ST-A launches with Sentinel-1B at fourth attempt
Russia’s Soyuz ST-A rocket has launched with the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1B spacecraft and four small satellites, following three delays – two relating to unacceptable weather for both Friday and Saturday’s attempts and then a technical scrub on Sunday. In what was the rocket’s first launch of the year from its South American launch site,…
-
Russian Rokot launches Sentinel-3A
A Russian Rokot launch vehicle – with a Briz-KM Upper Stage – has launched the Sentinel-3A spacecraft for the European Space Agency (ESA) on Tuesday. The launch took place from the Eurockot Pad LC133 at the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia, with T-0 marked at 17:57 UTC. Launch Overview: This Russian launch system is…
-
NASA to begin testing Orion’s European Service Module
NASA is nearly ready to begin testing of a core component of the Orion spacecraft. A structural test version of the European Service Module has arrived in the United States and will soon undergo a series of tests at NASA’s Glenn Research Center’s Space Power Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, to validate the service module’s design…
-
Italian veteran Paolo Nespoli to return to the ISS
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced Paolo Nespoli is to return to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017. The veteran Italian astronaut will be making his third trip to the orbital outpost, following missions in 2007 and 2010 – the latter concluding with stunning and unique photography of Shuttle Endeavour docked to the…
-
Plum Brook prepped for EM-1 Orion Service Module testing
Testing of Orion’s Service Module will be conducted at NASA Glenn’s Plum Brook Station this year in preparation for Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1). The Service Module is being built via the cooperation of both NASA and ESA, along with its own Shuttle heritage as a flown Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine has been selected to…
-
Philae awakes from comet slumber ready to return to work
European scientists have confirmed their brave little lander Philae has managed to regain communications with its Rosetta mothership. The lander had been in hibernation after its sporty landing on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko but awoke some time ago. However, Sunday’s announcement marked the first successful re-establishment of communication between the spacecraft. Philae’s Back! *LIVE Landing Coverage here* *LIVE +1…
-
IXV’s Pride: Europe’s spaceplane homecoming prelude to future goals
ESA’s Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV) is now enjoying the final leg of her mission, onboard the Nos Aries recovery ship. The vehicle – part of ESA’s future spaceplane aspirations – was plucked out of the Pacific Ocean at the conclusion of her suborbital adventure this month and is now being shipped back to her home in Italy,…
-
Vega rocket launches IXV spaceplane – Mission Complete
The European Space Agency is flying a reentry demonstration mission Wednesday with its Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV). Boosted by Europe’s lightweight Vega rocket, the IXV flew a suborbital mission culminating in landing and recovery in the Pacific Ocean after around 102 minutes of flight. Liftoff is occurred at 13:40 UTC from Kourou, French Guiana. VEGA…
-
Galileo satellite deployment campaign to resume
One of two Galileo satellites is unloaded from an Air France Boeing 747 cargo plane on Thursday after arrival in Cayenne, French Guiana. Credit: ESA/Paul Muller Two Galileo navigation satellites arrived at the Guiana Space Center in South America on Thursday after a trans-Atlantic flight from Paris, as European officials plan the resumption of Galileo…
-
Europe, China issue call for joint science mission
One of two Double Star spacecraft developed for a joint ESA-China science mission is seen in a pre-launch sun illumination test in 2004. Credit: CNSA/CAST/CSSAR Europe and China are planning a joint robotic space mission for launch in 2021, and officials are asking scientists to propose projects aimed at research in astronomy, exploring the solar…