This quarter saw a major step in human spaceflight as ESA’s Orion European Service Module powered Artemis II, a return to the Moon that showcases the strength of the European space industry. We also delve into the development of a next-generation microchip for telecommunications and Earth observation, as well as new insights from Juice’s encounter with the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Several launches also featured, including the first Celeste navigation satellites, additions to Italy’s IRIDE constellation and CubeSats testing new data transfer and processing capabilities. Meanwhile, the SMILE mission made progress in studying the Sun-Earth connection, and the period closes with the announcement of ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot for the Artemis III mission.