Just three months after launch, the European Space Agency’s twin HydroGNSS satellites are already proving their capabilities in orbit. By exploiting reflected signals from navigation satellites – the sophisticated technique they use to generate Delay Doppler Maps in order to ‘scout’ for water across Earth’s surface – these compact satellites are beginning to reveal the scientific potential they were built to unlock, even while still in their commissioning phase.

Watch the replay of the CELESTE pre-launch media briefing. The briefing covered the mission details of the ahead of the inaugural launch of ESA’s Celeste LEO-PNT in-orbit demonstration constellation. The first two satellites are scheduled to lift off no earlier than 24 March aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from New Zealand.

The European Space Agency (ESA) will release new software called ECOS version 6 on 30 March 2026 when all companies doing business with ESA will be required to use this version for use in their financial proposals for ESA Tender Actions.

Press Release N° 13–2026

Journalists are invited to a one-off opportunity to see three ESA-built satellites in their final preparations before liftoff. 

Every day, we rely on satellite navigation – so much so that it has become a target for disruption. As our dependence on the technology grows, so do the risks associated with its interruption. Some antennas offer protection from the most common types of interference, but they are bulky and expensive to manufacture. A PhD researcher’s project explores an alternative: a football-sized, 3D-printed lens antenna that could provide resilience for satellite navigation while staying simple and cheap.