Argonaut: a first European lunar lander
Thursday, 30 January 2025 06:15

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space in Italy to lead European aerospace companies in building the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element, ESA’s first lunar lander.
ESA actively monitoring near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 14:45

The European Space Agency (ESA) Planetary Defence Office is closely monitoring the recently discovered asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a very small chance of impacting Earth in 2032.
This page was last updated on 29 January 2025.
ESA at the 17th European Space Conference - Day 2
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 11:58

The second day of the European Space Conference saw European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano join ESA Directors and the Director General on a range of panels and interactions with media.
A super-Earth laboratory for finding life beyond our solar system
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Three decades after the first exoplanet was discovered, astronomers have identified over 7,000 exoplanets in our galaxy. Yet, countless more await discovery. Researchers are now delving into the characteristics of these planets to uncover the possibility of extraterrestrial life. This pursuit has led to the discovery of super-Earth HD 20794 d, thanks to a collaboration involving the University o

Approaching the Red Planet from the Kitchen
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Rootless cones, small volcanic landforms typically ranging from several meters to a few hundred meters in diameter, form through explosive interactions between surface lava and water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Unlike conventional volcanoes that arise from deep magma sources, rootless cones emerge when lava covers a water-containing layer, triggering bursts of steam and gas.
These fea

EdgeCortix SAKURA-I AI Accelerator Validated for Radiation Resilience in Space Missions
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
EdgeCortix Inc., a prominent fabless semiconductor company specializing in energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) processing at the edge, has announced that its SAKURA-I AI Accelerator has been proven suitable for space missions, including Earth orbit and lunar operations, due to its strong radiation resilience.
The AI accelerator underwent rigorous testing by NASA's Electronic Part

Explaining persistent hydrogen in Mars atmosphere
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
The arid and cold landscape of modern Mars contrasts sharply with its past, when flowing rivers and lakes carved its surface billions of years ago. Researchers from Harvard have now proposed a compelling explanation for this ancient warmth and moisture, offering new insights into the planet's climate history.
Scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Scien

GITAI Successfully Completes Demonstration of Advanced 16U Satellite
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
GITAI USA Inc. (GITAI), a leader in space robotics, has announced the successful launch and mission completion of its in-house developed 16U satellite. The satellite was launched into low Earth orbit aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 on December 21, 2024, at 3:34 AM (PST). The mission met all three predefined success criteria, earning a "Full Success" designation for technical verification.
GITAI a

How to Operate NASA's Orion Spacecraft for Artemis II Mission
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
During NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight under the Artemis campaign, astronauts will manually operate the Orion spacecraft as part of their journey around the Moon and back. This mission is a critical test to validate the spacecraft's performance with a human crew onboard before future lunar landing missions.
The first major test of manual control, called the proximity ope

Moon is more geologically active than previously believed
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
The moon's surface has long been a subject of study, offering clues about its geological and evolutionary history. Dark, flat regions known as lunar maria, which are filled with solidified lava, were thought to have formed through significant compression billions of years ago. Many researchers concluded that these regions have remained dormant ever since. However, a new study indicates that the

NASA Juno Mission Discovers Record-Breaking Volcanic Activity on Io
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
NASA's Juno mission has uncovered an extraordinary volcanic feature on Io, Jupiter's highly active moon. This newly discovered hot spot, located in Io's southern hemisphere, surpasses Earth's Lake Superior in size and emits an astonishing energy output six times greater than all of Earth's power plants combined. The revelation, made possible by Juno's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM), high

New insights into solar opacity through helioseismology
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Paris, France (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Helioseismology, the study of the Sun's acoustic oscillations, provides a powerful tool for probing the internal properties of our star with remarkable precision. By analyzing these sound waves, scientists can reconstruct critical parameters such as the Sun's density, temperature, and chemical composition. This transformative method enables researchers to explore the Sun's inner workings as an a

Safran DSI achieves milestone with first US-built VISION satellite antenna
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Safran Defense and Space, Inc. (DSI) has announced the successful production of its first U.S.-manufactured VISION 5.5-meter full-motion satellite tracking antenna. The advanced unit, designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operations, was built at the company's Norcross, Georgia, facility, marking a significant step in U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities. Four additional units are slated for produ

Starlink connectivity enhances Oracle Enterprise Communications Platform
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Oracle is leveraging Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite broadband network to deliver enhanced high-speed connectivity for its Enterprise Communications Platform (ECP). This collaboration empowers Oracle customers to seamlessly connect from virtually any location - including remote and underserved areas - while accessing features such as real-time video and audio streaming for industry applicat

SpaceX mission to return US astronauts to happen 'soon': Trump
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 09:18
Washington (AFP) Jan 29, 2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Elon Musk's company SpaceX will "soon" begin a mission to repatriate two American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station.
Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June aboard Boeing's Starliner, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory, but technical pr
