European Space Agency

By Thierry Dubois
ESA scientists say liquid water may not yet have been discovered on another planet because observation has not focused long enough on a given star.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
The rocket company plans to fly its launcher from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.
Commercial Space

By Matthew Fulco
Led by France’s Tikehau Capital, the late-stage funding round was also joined by a trio of other venture capital (VC) firms.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
ESA is prepping for launch of the Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars (Plato) mission, with the telescope to lift off on an Ariane 62 late next year.
Space Exploration

By Thierry Dubois, Robert Wall
To make up ground it is losing to SpaceX, China and others, Europe is looking to infuse greater competition into its space launch industry.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
The details of the European Launcher Challenge are still in the works.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
The revised plan shaves billions from projected program costs.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
ESA has unveiled images the BepiColombo mission collected during its recent flight past Mercury when it skirted only 183 mi. above the planet's surface.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
ESA is assessing what NASA’s plan changes for the Mars Sample Return mission mean and preparing for potential alterations to the Artemis lunar program.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency expects five Ariane 6 launches and four Vega-C liftoffs in 2025 as it heads into a busy year, with the agency's three-year-plan in the balance.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
It is not quite Starlink, but Europe aims to have its own commercial satellite communication mega-ish constellation ready starting in 2030.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed €350 million ($363 million) in contracts with Avio to further evolve the Vega launcher family.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The pace of growth is down slightly from the 11% seen between 2022 and 2023.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
Member states are expected to provide €4.8 billion and the European Union €1.7 billion, with an additional €1.2 billion coming from other sources.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
Geopolitical and environmental challenges in the northern latitudes are prompting investments in satellite communications and infrastructure.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Robert Wall
European officials plan to move quickly to put on contract risk reduction efforts for the IRIS² satellite communications program to mature critical tech.
Satellites

By Mark Carreau
The Dragon capsule has a return cargo that includes scientific research and equipment.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
The EU and ESA signed a concession contract with a European industry consortium to deploy a roughly 292-satellite secure, sovereign communications system.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
Even though Europe is back in the space launcher race, its progress still trails the U.S. and China.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
Arianespace on Dec. 4 returned the Vega-C rocket to flight after a more than two-year hiatus following a mission failure in 2022.
Operations & Safety

By Robert Wall
The agency suspects maneuvering spacecraft could open the door to other science missions, including ones linked to Mars sample return missions.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency has delayed the launch of the Proba-3 mission to examine a possible fault with one of its two satellites.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
Negotiations just wrapped up on the Vega E.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The extra time is being used to conduct additional checks.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aircraft & Propulsion