Tag: European Space Agency
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ESA and Vast Partner to Explore Commercial Space Station Collaboration
The European Space Agency (ESA) has entered into a groundbreaking agreement with Vast, a commercial space venture, aimed at studying potential collaborations regarding Vast’s upcoming commercial space stations. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was formalized on June 6 at the ILA Berlin air show. The partnership entails a comprehensive analysis of how ESA and its…
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Defunct European Satellite’s Reentry Highlights Orbital Debris Risks Amid Policy Shifts
The imminent reentry of the European Space Agency’s European Remote Sensing (ERS) 2 satellite serves as a stark reminder of the persistent hazards posed by existing space objects, even as agencies strive to curtail the proliferation of orbital debris. Expected to descend on February 21st after orbiting for nearly two decades, the European Remote Sensing…
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Rocket Report: China flies reusable rocket hopper; Falcon Heavy dazzles
Welcome to Edition 6.50 of the Rocket Report! SpaceX launched its 10th Falcon Heavy rocket this week with the GOES-U weather satellite for NOAA, and this one was a beauty. The late afternoon timing of the launch and atmospheric conditions made for great photography. Falcon Heavy has become a trusted rocket for the US government,…
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Rocket Report: North Korean rocket explosion; launch over Chinese skyline
Welcome to Edition 6.46 of the Rocket Report! It looks like we will be covering the crew test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and the fourth test flight of SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket over the next week. All of this is happening as SpaceX keeps up its cadence of flying multiple Starlink missions per week.…
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SpaceX launches European Commission’s Galileo satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying a pair of Galileo satellites for the European Commission’s constellation lifts off from Launch Complex 39A on April 27, 2024. The last time SpaceX launched an expandable Falcon 9 rocket was back in November 2022, 146 missions ago. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now SpaceX hit some notable milestones with the launch…
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A new era: Ariane 6 maiden launch campaign gets underway
On July 5, 2023, the Ariane 5 launch vehicle took flight for the last time, thus ending a storied 27-year career for what was Europe’s first heavy-lift rocket. Nearly ten months later, Arianespace is back at the launchpad with its new and advanced heavy-lift workhorse: the Ariane 6. For the first time, the central core…
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Rocket Report: Starship could fly again in May; Ariane 6 coming together
Welcome to Edition 6.36 of the Rocket Report! SpaceX wants to launch the next Starship test flight as soon as early May, the company’s president and chief operating officer said this week. The third Starship test flight last week went well enough that the Federal Aviation Administration—yes, the FAA, the target of many SpaceX fans’…
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PLD Space Secures ESA Boost! Contract for Payload Accommodation System on MIURA 5
Spanish aerospace company PLD Space has clinched a lucrative contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Boost! program, aimed at advancing commercial space transportation endeavors. The contract, valued at 1.3 million euros, will facilitate the development of a versatile payload accommodation system on PLD Space’s MIURA 5 orbital launcher, enhancing flexibility for its…
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European Space Agency Satellite ERS-2 Set to Reenter Earth’s Atmosphere
The European Space Agency (ESA) is closely monitoring the reentry of its Earth-observing satellite, ERS-2, which is expected to largely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday morning. The agency’s Space Debris Office, in collaboration with an international surveillance network, is tracking the satellite, predicting its reentry at 6:14 a.m. ET Wednesday, within a 15-hour…
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UK Space Agency Partners with Axiom Space for Groundbreaking £15 Million Funding Opportunity
The UK Space Agency has launched a significant funding opportunity, in collaboration with Axiom Space, offering up to £15 million to drive British technology into space. Two new funding calls have been initiated, inviting UK-based researchers and technology innovators to participate in a space journey alongside home-grown astronauts. Minister for space at the Department for…