Europe’s space community came together through two days of virtual presentations and business-to-business meetings during ESA’s online Industry Space Days on 16–17 September. Read more »

While on Earth, satellites are kept in immaculate cleanrooms to protect their instruments from harmful dust particles. If those instruments fail to function properly in space, however, it could be because of particle contamination during launch. Now a British company has developed a device to identify whether this is the case. Read more »

Image: Mesh reflector for shaped radio beams Read more »

Today ESA awarded a €129.4 million contract covering the detailed design, manufacturing and testing of Hera, the Agency’s first mission for planetary defence. This ambitious mission will be Europe’s contribution to an international asteroid deflection effort, set to perform sustained exploration of a double asteroid system. Read more »

This year’s ESA Open Day at ESTEC in the Netherlands is taking place on an online basis. Continuing COVID-19 restrictions make it impossible to let people on site in person, but participants will still enjoy virtual tours of the extensive establishment, get unique close-up views of space hardware and interact directly with astronauts and space experts. Read more »

Image: Expanding ESTEC’s Test Centre Read more »

Do you have a compelling idea for a future space mission? Then we want to hear it. ESA is issuing an open call for new mission concepts across its entire range of activities. Anyone is encouraged to submit in response, from research institutes and companies to ‘citizen scientist’ members of the public. Read more »

Video: 00:05:34 Here at ESA, the European Space Agency, space is our business. It’s a place we explore, heading outwards while also looking back, to improve life on our own blue planet. Why go out there? Because space is useful and valuable; because it’s the place we all live. That’s why ESA does what we do: because Earth is only the start. Here’s what you need to know about the stuff that surrounds us.#SpaceCare #WhenTheAtmosphereIsntEnough Read more »

Image: Plasma propulsion for small satellites Read more »

Image: Doorway to space Read more »