The first quarter of 2026 was when ESA powered up, with the first launch of the four-booster configuration of Europe’s Ariane 6 launcher, confirming our continent’s readiness in heavy lift launch capability and is key to ESA’s efforts to ensure autonomous access to space for Europeans. Meanwhile Europe’s Copernicus-3 radar satellite watched over flooding in the Bordeaux region of France and ESA Sophie Adenot made her way to the International Space Station. A student team exposed microbes to radiation at ESA’s technical heart in preparation for an innovative CubeSat mission, the James Webb Space Telescope took a detailed look at Uranus and the Smile solar wind mission with China set sail for Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. All this and the latest Playmobil ESA toys as well!