Europe will regain its autonomous access to space in 2024, with the inaugural flight of the heavy-lift launcher Ariane 6 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Hear more about Hera, the planetary defence mission which will be launched at the end of 2024, and EarthCARE, ESA’s Earth observation mission studying the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting solar radiation.

Updates will be provided on how commercial European space companies will compete to deliver supplies to the International Space Station by 2028.

Watch live on ESA Web TV from 10:00 CET on 11 January as ESA Directors join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA’s new scientific, exploration, planetary defence, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2024 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.