A heartbreaking incident has unfolded at the renowned Baikonur Cosmodrome, where a young Frenchman tragically lost his life in pursuit of an unauthorized “extreme tourism” adventure. According to Russian authorities, the 24-year-old succumbed to dehydration after illegally entering the restricted territory of the iconic space base, accompanied by a 27-year-old compatriot. The pair, driven by […]

GRBBeta is designed to detect and study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) – immensely energetic explosions observed in distant galaxies. These are the brightest and most extreme explosive events in the Universe. A typical GRB releases as much energy in a few seconds as the Sun will in its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. GRBs are thought to be […]

In a surprising discovery that challenges our understanding of the dispersal of water on Mars, early morning frost has been found on the peaks of colossal volcanoes in the Tharsis plateau region. This unexpected phenomenon was captured by the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter, revealing a shimmering, icy layer on the summits of these […]

ESA’s Hera asteroid mission and its two CubeSats recently conducted a remarkable test, simulating their communication and interaction as if they were in the depths of space. This rehearsal took place within the foam pyramid-lined walls of the Agency’s Maxwell test chamber in the Netherlands, where the trio seamlessly shared data and ranging information. Simultaneously, […]

Astronomers are turning their gaze towards nearby stars in a quest to uncover potentially habitable exoplanets. This groundbreaking research, conducted using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton, aims to pave the way for future telescopes to capture the very first images of Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system. The key to this endeavor lies […]

Launch day expectations were high, as SpaceX hoped for a soft splashdown of Booster 11 and survival of peak reentry heat for Ship 29. The tank farm’s road closure and chill down went as planned, and the weather was nearly perfect for a launch. Ship 29 and Booster 11 lifted off at 7:50 a.m. Central […]

The groundbreaking discovery of water frost on Mars was made on the towering Tharsis volcanoes, which are the tallest mountains in our Solar System. Among these colossal peaks is Olympus Mons, a behemoth that rises a staggering 26 kilometers (16 miles) above the surrounding plains. Despite the thin Martian atmosphere, the high altitudes of these […]

As part of the Boeing Crew Flight Test, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, along with ground teams, are completing various objectives since Starliner arrived at the International Space Station on June 6. These include: Powering down and up the spacecraft to test minimal power mode during operational missions. Conducting “safe haven” checks to […]

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets have been maintaining a remarkable launch cadence, showcasing the company’s ability to rapidly prepare and launch vehicles from its facilities. This week alone, SpaceX aimed to conduct four launches from the same pad, Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, within a span of just […]

We are excited to launch our website user survey to gather valuable feedback from you, our website visitors. This survey aims to help us understand your needs, preferences, and expectations, ensuring that the ESA website provides an exceptional user experience. Participation in the survey is open to all website users, and it will take approximately […]