Tag: European Space Agency

  • Launch of European Mars mission delayed two months

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    Artist’s concept of the Schiaparelli lander separating from the Trace Gas Orbiter on final approach to Mars. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab Officials expect to delay next year’s launch of a European Mars orbiter and lander about two months — from January to March — to remove faulty pressure transducers from the landing craft’s braking system, the…

  • The surface of Rosetta’s comet is changing

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    This sequence of ten images showing changes in the Imhotep region on Comet 67P/Chruymov-Gerasimenko were taken with the OSIRIS narrow-angle camera on Rosetta between May 24 and July 11, 2015. Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA Views from Europe’s Rosetta comet orbiter show mysterious markings appearing on the nucleus of Comet 67P in recent months,…

  • The surface of Rosetta’s comet is changing

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    This sequence of ten images showing changes in the Imhotep region on Comet 67P/Chruymov-Gerasimenko were taken with the OSIRIS narrow-angle camera on Rosetta between May 24 and July 11, 2015. Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA Views from Europe’s Rosetta comet orbiter show mysterious markings appearing on the nucleus of Comet 67P in recent months,…

  • Launch brings Galileo navigation system into double digits

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    A Soyuz rocket lifted off from French Guiana at 0208:10 GMT Friday (10:08:10 p.m. EDT) with Europe’s next two Galileo navigation satellites. Credit: ESA–Manuel Pedoussaut, 2015 A Russian rocket released two Galileo navigation satellites nearly 15,000 miles above Earth early Friday, adding to a growing fleet giving Europe an independent space-based positioning system tracking automobiles,…

  • Live coverage: Soyuz launches to expand Europe’s navigation system

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    Video provided by Arianespace Mission Status Center Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana with two Galileo navigation satellites. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.

  • Photos: Two more Galileo navigation satellites primed for flight

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    The next pair of spacecraft to join Europe’s Galileo navigation system are positioned for liftoff late Thursday aboard a Soyuz rocket. The photos below show the arrival of the satellites in French Guiana in late July from their factory at OHB System in Bremen, Germany, fueling of the craft by technicians in special hazmat suits,…

  • Launcher contracts signify shift in Europe’s rocket industry

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    Artist’s concepts of the Vega C (left) and Ariane 6 (right) rockets. Credit: ESA–J. Huart and D. Ducros, 2015 Europe’s next-generation launcher family has moved a step closer to reality with the signature of nearly $3.8 billion in contracts for development of the Ariane 6 rocket and an upgraded version of the lightweight Vega booster.…

  • Orion service module still seen as schedule driver

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    Artist’s concept of the Orion spacecraft with the European service module’s distinctive X-wing solar panels. Credit: NASA The pace of the European Space Agency’s development of a power and propulsion module for NASA’s Orion crew capsule will likely determine when an unpiloted test flight of the spaceship and its heavy-lift rocket will take off, NASA…

  • New contact with intractable comet lander

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    Artist’s concept of the Philae lander. Credit: DLR Europe’s Rosetta comet probe re-established momentary contact with the Philae lander late Thursday, renewing hopes of starting up the craft’s research instruments after two weeks of radio silence dampened the moods of scientists. Thursday’s contact, which lasted 12 minutes before failing, was the first time ground controllers…

  • New satellite joins Europe’s growing Earth observing network

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    The Vega rocket with Sentinel 2A blasted off at 0151:58 GMT Tuesday (9:51:58 p.m. EDT Monday) from Kourou, French Guiana. Credit: ESA–M. Pedoussaut, 2015 A new satellite to monitor crops, pollution and the growth of cities blasted off Monday from a tropical spaceport in French Guiana, adding another piece to Europe’s multibillion-dollar fleet of spacecraft…