ESA
ESA director general to retire early
The outgoing director general of the European Space agency announced Jan. 8 that he will step down at the end of February, four months ahead of schedule.
Thales Alenia Space given €296 million contract to build European Gateway module
JOHANNESBURG — The European Space Agency (ESA) signed a nearly €296 million ($362 million) contract with Thales Alenia Space Jan. 7 to build a European module for NASA’s lunar Gateway space station.
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Brexit deal allows UK to continue participation in Copernicus
An agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union will allow the UK to remain in the Copernicus Earth observation program after it formally exits the EU.
ESA Clean Space tackles space junk one component at a time
The European Space Agency’s Clean Space initiative is assisting in the development of satellite components that are designed for demise, an approach to satellite development that advocates for the safe disposal of spacecraft by destructive atmospheric reentry.
Investigation confirms improperly connected cables caused Vega launch failure
An independent investigation of a Vega launch failure in November confirmed that misconnected cables in the rocket’s upper stage doomed the mission and made recommendations to allow a return to flight in early 2021.
New ESA director general sees EU relations and commercialization as priorities
The next leader of the European Space Agency says his top priorities are to improve the agency’s relationship with the European Union and support commercial space activities in Europe.
€167 million Space Rider contract funds construction of Europe’s first orbital spaceplane
The European Space Agency has signed a €167 million ($200 million) contract with Thales Alenia Space Italy and Avio to deliver Space Rider — Europe's first robotic orbital spaceplane — in time for a mid-to-late 2023 launch atop an expendable rocket.
ESA signs contract for first space debris removal mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has finalized an 86 million euro ($104 million) contract with Swiss start-up ClearSpace SA to complete the world's first space debris removal mission.
Falcon 9 launches Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean science satellite
A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched Nov. 21 the latest in a series of satellites developed by the United States and Europe to track rising sea levels.
AAC Clyde Space to develop cubesats to offer array of services
AAC Clyde Space announced a 19 million euro ($22.5 million) contract backed by the U.K. Space Agency to develop a 10-cubesat communications and Earth-observation constellation.
ESA signs a trio of Copernicus contracts worth 1.3 billion euros
The European Space Agency (ESA) signed contracts for three pairs of satellites for the agency's Earth-observing Copernicus program on Nov. 13 with a total award value of more than 1.3 billion euros ($1.54 billion).
ESA awards €1.5 million to three German launch startups
The European Space Agency awarded German launch startups HyImpulse Technologies, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Isar Aerospace a combined 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million) to support development of competing smallsat launchers.
NASA-ESA agreement a milestone in efforts to develop Artemis international partnerships
While NASA and the European Space Agency hailed an agreement this week to work together on the lunar Gateway, both agencies have work ahead to establish international cooperation on the overall Artemis program of human lunar exploration.
ESA awards contracts for moon and Mars exploration
The European Space Agency has awarded contracts for work on elements of its moon and Mars exploration program, ranging from modules for the lunar Gateway to a mission to return Mars samples to Earth.
Airbus signs $350 million contract to build CRISTAL ice-monitoring satellite for EU
The European Space Agency signed a 300-million-euro ($352 million) contract with Airbus Defence and Space on Sept. 21 to develop an ice-monitoring satellite for European Union’s Earth-observing Copernicus program.
