Tag: European Space Agency
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NASA Names Four-Astronaut Crew for Artemis III Docking Mission with SpaceX and Blue Origin Landers
NASA has selected three American astronauts and one European astronaut to fly on Artemis III, a landmark mission scheduled for late 2027 that will conduct the first in-space docking demonstrations between NASA’s Orion spacecraft and lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the crew during a ceremony in Houston…
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Alén Space Advances Atlantic Constellation Role as Spanish Satellite Program Enters Production Phase
Alén Space has reached a new milestone in its participation in Spain’s contribution to the Atlantic Constellation (ESCA), following the successful completion of the project’s Critical Design Review (CDR), a key step that allows the program to move into the production phase for satellites and onboard payloads. The Atlantic Constellation is a joint Earth observation…
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SSC Space Launches SubOrbital Express-5 Mission Carrying 12 Microgravity Experiments
SSC Space successfully launched its SubOrbital Express-5 mission on 31 May from the Esrange Space Centre in northern Sweden, carrying 12 scientific and commercial experiments designed to operate in microgravity conditions. The sounding rocket reached an altitude of approximately 260 kilometres and provided researchers with around six and a half minutes of microgravity during the…
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Venturi Space Raises Toulouse Facility Investment to €250 Million
Venturi Space has increased its planned investment in a new manufacturing and technology facility in Toulouse, France, to €250 million, up from the €100 million originally announced earlier this year. The Monaco-based space technology company said the expanded investment will support the development and production of technologies for lunar and Martian mobility systems, including rover…
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ESA Chief Calls for Independent European Human Spaceflight Capability
European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher has called for Europe to establish its own independent human spaceflight capability, arguing that the continent has become overly dependent on decisions made by foreign partners. In an opinion article published on May 18, Aschbacher said recent changes to the United States’ Artemis programme architecture and Europe’s reduced…
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Edge Aerospace Wins ESA Contract to Study Orbital Data Centers
Luxembourg-based startup Edge Aerospace has secured a contract under the European Space Agency’s Space Cloud program to examine the feasibility of orbital data centers, as Europe explores new approaches to in-space computing. Under the agreement, Edge Aerospace will develop an architectural framework and use-case roadmap for orbital computing platforms. The study will evaluate the commercial…
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European Space Startups Attract €1.4 Billion As Private Capital Gains Confidence
Private capital markets in Europe are showing increasing confidence in space-sector startups, even as structural challenges remain, according to a new report by the European Space Policy Institute. In its annual “Space Venture 2025” report, ESPI said European space ventures secured €1.4 billion in private investment last year, representing an 8% decline year-on-year. However, venture…
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ESA Member States Seek Cancellation of Mars Earth Return Orbiter
Member states of the European Space Agency have called for the cancellation of the Earth Return Orbiter, a central component of the joint Mars Sample Return programme with NASA. The Earth Return Orbiter was intended to capture Martian samples launched into orbit and transport them back to Earth. ESA had awarded Airbus Defence and Space…
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Ramon.Space Plans Orbital Data Center Prototype Launch With Ingrasys
Ramon.Space is preparing to launch a prototype orbital data center in collaboration with Ingrasys, targeting a first demonstration mission as early as 2026. The initiative marks a new step in the emerging race to deploy computing infrastructure in space, with the companies aiming to build scalable in-orbit data processing capabilities by the end of the…
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ESA Calls on SMEs to Design Fully Reusable Spaceplane Launch System
European Space Agency has issued a call for proposals to design a fully reusable and responsive launch system based on spaceplanes, targeting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rather than established prime contractors. The call, published on 27 February, seeks proposals for at least two distinct design concepts that could demonstrate how lift-generating spaceplanes might provide…