ESA – Page 2 – Spaceflight Now

ESA completes swan song of its Vega rocket with Sentinel-2C launch

September 3, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The European Space Agency (ESA) will soon focus on the Vega-C rocket as its small launch vehicle. Liftoff happened Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 10:50 p.m. GFT (9:50 p.m. EDT, 0150 UTC).

European Space Agency launches inaugural Ariane 6 rocket, encounters upper stage issue

July 7, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The first flight of the rocket will carry several payloads unto low Earth orbit for a variety of customers, including NASA. The rocket launched from French Guiana on July 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. GFT (3 p.m. EDT, 1900 UTC), however, it ran into the anomaly about an hour and 50 minutes into the mission.

SpaceX launches ESA’s EarthCARE on a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base

May 27, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The Earth observing spacecraft will study clouds and aerosols to further our understanding of climate change. Liftoff happened at 3:20 p.m. PDT (6:20 p.m. EDT, 2220 UTC).

Crew-7 returns home following six-month stay at the International Space Station

March 11, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The crew spent 197 days docked at the ISS and welcomed seven visiting vehicles while on orbit. Splashdown off the coast of Florida is anticipated around 5:50 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 12.

ESA Director General: Ariane 6 aiming for summer 2024 debut

November 30, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher said Thursday the Ariane 6 is expected to launch for the first time between June 15 and July 31, 2024. The determination comes on the heels of what ESA determined to be a successful hot fire test of the rocket’s main engine.

NASA begins to chart path forward on its Mars Sample Return architecture following independent review

October 24, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

NASA is aiming to make a determination about the path forward for Mars Sample Return by the end of March 2024.

Rideshare mission on deck for penultimate Vega rocket as Vega-C successor remains sidelined

October 6, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

A pair of Earth observation satellites along with ten auxiliary payloads will launch aboard Arianespace’s penultimate Vega rocket into sun-synchronous orbit on Friday. Vega lifted off at 9:36 p.m. EDT (0138 UTC) on Sunday after a two-day delay.

Galileo satellite deployment campaign to resume

February 6, 2015 Stephen Clark

Two Galileo navigation satellites arrived at the Guiana Space Center in South America on Thursday after a trans-Atlantic flight from Paris, as European officials plan the resumption of Galileo launches after a rocket mishap deposited two spacecraft in the wrong orbit last year.

Europe, China issue call for joint science mission

January 24, 2015 Stephen Clark

Europe and China are planning a joint robotic space mission for launch in 2021, and officials are asking scientists to propose projects aimed at research in astronomy, exploring the solar system, or investigations in fundamental physics.

Woerner tapped as next ESA director general

December 21, 2014 Stephen Clark

Johann-Dietrich Woerner, head of the German Aerospace Center, will take over as director general of the European Space Agency on July 1. Woerner will take the helm from Jean-Jacques Dordain, who has held the top post at ESA since 2003.