HomeTagsEuropean Space Agency

Tag: European Space Agency

France, Germany, Italy agree on next-generation space rockets

The three largest contributors to the European Space Agency, France, Germany, and Italy, announced on Tuesday that they have agreed to ensure the long-term viability of the next-generation Ariane 6 and Vega-C rocket launcher systems. The countries also reaffirmed a preference for European rockets. The...

A close encounter with a mysterious moon

Mars Express, a European Space Agency mission, recently had a close encounter with the martian moon Phobos. The 19-year-old water-hunting spacecraft peered beneath the surface of the mysterious moon during the flyby, which took place on September 23, 2022, thanks to the orbiter's recently...

Simulation suggests gravitational interactions drive Milky Way’s galactic bar bulges

A new simulation run on the world's most powerful astronomy supercomputer has produced a testable scenario to explain the appearance of the Milky Way's bar. The comparison of this scenario to data from current and future space telescopes will aid in the understanding of...

Scientists show how terrain evolves on an icy comet

Cornell astronomers have demonstrated how smooth terrains—a good place to land a spacecraft and scoop up samples—evolve on the icy world of comets, with an eye toward a possible return mission years in the future. They show that the topography influences the surface activity of...

Europe’s upgraded Vega space launcher makes inaugural flight

The European Space Agency celebrated the first flight of its Vega-C rocket on Wednesday, which is designed to give customers more bang for their buck in the increasingly competitive business of launching satellites into orbit. The Vega-C rocket is an upgrade to the Vega rocket,...

ESA fully cuts Mars mission ties with Russia, angering Moscow

The European Space Agency has officially ended cooperation with Russia on a mission to land a rover on Mars, prompting Russia's space chief to retaliate by prohibiting cosmonauts on the International Space Station from using a European-made robotic arm. Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine,...