Tag: European Space Agency
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SpaceX Marks 500th Reused-Rocket Orbital Mission With Launch of EU Ocean-Mapping Satellite
SpaceX launched a European ocean-monitoring satellite from California early Monday, completing the company’s 500th orbital mission using a flight-proven rocket booster. The Sentinel-6B spacecraft lifted off atop a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 12:21 a.m. EST (0521 GMT). “Sentinel-6B rising, extending nearly four decades of the precise sea-level record from space,” NASA…
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Exploration Company Completes Debris-Shield Tests for Nyx Spacecraft Ahead of 2028 Debut
European space logistics startup The Exploration Company said it has completed the first test campaign of the micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding for its Nyx spacecraft, a modular vehicle scheduled to make its debut in 2028. The tests were performed under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) LEO Cargo Return Services initiative, which is funding…
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SBQuantum Wins ESA Contract to Develop Enhanced Quantum Magnetometer for Earth Observation
SBQuantum has secured a new contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to deliver a next-generation prototype of its quantum diamond magnetometer for Earth observation missions, the Canadian company said. The agreement, valued at nearly $1 million, is funded through ESA’s FutureEO programme and follows an earlier contract in which SBQuantum produced a custom magnetometer…
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ESA Ministers to Weigh Historic Move Toward Defense-Focused Space Projects
The European Space Agency (ESA) is poised for a pivotal decision later this month, as its Council of Ministers prepares to vote on a package of projects that could mark the agency’s first formal step toward supporting European defense activities. The two-day meeting, scheduled for Nov. 26–27, will bring together senior officials from ESA’s 23…
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We’re about to find many more interstellar interlopers—here’s how to visit one
A few days ago, an inscrutable interstellar interloper made its closest approach to Mars, where a fleet of international spacecraft seek to unravel the red planet’s ancient mysteries. Several of the probes encircling Mars took a break from their usual activities and turned their cameras toward space to catch a glimpse of an object named…
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CHEOPS discovers exoplanet triggering explosive flares on host star
Using the European Space Agency’s Characterizing Exoplanets Satellite (CHEOPS) telescope, a team of astronomers has discovered an exoplanet that may be triggering its host star to release massive flares of radiation. These flares are similar to the coronal mass ejection our Sun produces, and the harsh radiation emitted from the flares is slowly blowing away…
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Rocket Report: New delay for Europe’s reusable rocket; SpaceX moves in at SLC-37
Welcome to Edition 7.48 of the Rocket Report! The shock of last week’s public spat between President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has worn off, and Musk expressed regret for some of his comments going after Trump on social media. Musk also backtracked from his threat to begin decommissioning the Dragon spacecraft, currently…
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Astroscale Clears Design Milestone for Satellite Removal Mission in 2025
Astroscale’s British subsidiary has completed the critical design review (CDR) for its satellite servicer under the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-Multiple (ELSA-M) program, the company said Tuesday. The milestone paves the way for the next phase of assembly, integration and testing, ahead of a mission to remove a defunct OneWeb broadband satellite from low Earth orbit…
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ispace’s Resilience Lander to Deliver Science, Art, and Lunar Samples Amid Ambitious Growth Plans
ispace’s upcoming lunar lander, Resilience, carries a range of payloads from Japanese companies and a Taiwanese university, including a water electrolyzer, food production experiments, and a deep space radiation study. Among the commercial payloads is a “commemorative alloy plate” from Bandai Namco Research Inc., the research division of the Japanese entertainment company Bandai Namco, with…
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NASA Proposes Deep Budget Cuts for 2026, Prioritizing Exploration Over Science Missions
NASA has unveiled detailed plans for its fiscal year 2026 budget, proposing significant cuts to science missions and workforce alongside new investments in human space exploration, according to documents released on May 30. The agency’s proposed budget request totals $18.8 billion, representing a nearly 25% decrease from the $24.9 billion NASA received in fiscal year…