ESA

Following a double header by SpaceX later today, tomorrow Arianespace and the European Space Agency are ready to attempt its first launch of its Ariane 6 rocket. After years of delays and issues, the rocket has finally made it to the launch pad.

The European Space Agency has embarked on a collective initiative by signing contracts with Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space to develop large low Earth orbit satellite platforms that adhere to “Zero Debris” standards. This move aligns with ESA’s ambitious commitment to “significantly limit” the production of space debris by 2030 in hopes of making a significant step forward in space sustainability.

At 2:30 P.M. PT SpaceX plans to launch the ESA and JAXA mission called EarthCARE from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from SLC-4E with the booster making a landing at LZ-4 just a few hundred feet from the launch pad.

EarthCARE will study Earth’s clouds and aerosols to better understand global warming and the changing climate of our planet.

You can watch live coverage from ESA already live on their YouTube channel. SpaceX’s coverage will begin closer to launch over on X.

NASA’s Lunar Gateway program represents a pivotal initiative under the agency’s leadership, aimed at facilitating sustainable human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. This program is characterized by its emphasis on international and commercial partnerships, establishing a strategic outpost orbiting Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor to support scientific research, lunar surface expeditions, and deeper space ventures.

Avio, the company that builds ESA‘s Vega launcher, lost a pair of tanks for the AVUM fourth stage. While the company eventually found them, they were no longer useable, leading to a scramble to save the final Vega launch.

ESA has shared a timeline for what is left for Ariane 6 before launching its first mission. The new heavy lift rocket has two more ground tests on the booster and upper stage before a launch window opens up targeting mid-June to July 2024.

On Thanksgiving day here in the US, ESA conducted a simulated launch static fire of the Ariane 6 first stage booster. Powered by a single Vulcain 2.1 engine, the stage burned through almost 150 tons of fuel over a seven minute burn.

After a rather eventful weekend, SpaceX only has one launch schedule for the week with a private Chinese company making a rare appearance, and Russia’s military launching a Soyuz 2. However, on Thanksgiving day, Arianespace and the ESA are planning a test of its Vulcain 2.1 engine down in French Guiana.

Multinational technology company GMV has wrapped up ground validation tests for a cutting-edge space robot. Designed as part of the European Space Agency’s MIRROR project (Multi-arm Installation Robot for Readying ORUs and Reflectors), this innovative robot promises to transform the way structures are assembled in Earth’s orbit. 

This week has proven to be one of the most eventful in recent memory, featuring a flurry of activities including two launches to the International Space Station, four SpaceX launches, and four distinct rockets. From the Crew-7 rotation mission by SpaceX, a specialized SmallSat mission by Rocket Lab, to a rare Japanese launch, this week is poised to be action-packed.

Next month, SpaceX is set to launch its seventh rotation of crew members to the International Space Station for NASA. The upcoming Crew-7 mission is notable for being the most diverse crew to fly on a Dragon spacecraft, with all four members hailing from different nations and agencies – a first for SpaceX.

A Swiss company called Astrostrom is working with the European Space Agency to study the possibility of building a solar power satellite using lunar resources.

Europe is currently grappling with a temporary setback with its ability to launch payloads into space, prompting a heightened reliance on SpaceX for launching vital science and navigation spacecraft. 

In a momentous event in the field of astrophysics, SpaceX successfully launched the Euclid mission in collaboration with the European Space Agency. 

Just hours ago, the teams operating BepiColombo, Europe and Japan’s mission to travel to and orbit Mercury, released images from the spacecraft’s third flyby of the closest planet to our sun. With each pass, the spacecraft gets closer, takes more images, and reveals never-before-seen views of the elusive rocky surface.

Europe announced a study that would look into building a fully reusable rocket to further compete on the world launch stage — a direct nod to SpaceX’s success developing its Starship rocket and a further move to reusable rockets.

ESA announced Friday that the radar dish on its Jupiter Icey Moon Explorer (JUICE) mission isn’t deploying as fast as it should be. But have no fear. The mission isn’t in jeopardy yet, and teams have some ideas on how to fix it.

European Space Agency’s (ESA) JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana this month. It’s the latest collaboration between ESA, NASA, and other international partners to study Jupiter’s icy moons and determine their potential habitability. Here’s a quick rundown:

Have you ever wondered what the rings around Uranus looked like? Well, look no further than NASA, which used its newest and most powerful space telescope to take a long look at Uranus to show its true, usually hidden, beauty. Queue seven-year-olds’ giggles.

While we only have two launches this week, both have potentially significant implications for the future of spaceflight and science. First up will be SpaceX’s Transporter-7 mission with a rumored new MVAC design, and the second is the launch of ESA’s JUICE mission to Jupiter’s moons.