Copernical Team
Estrack - Half a century of European satellite tracking
Video:
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2025 marks a landmark year for Europe’s ‘bridge between Earth and space’. The European Space Agency’s Estrack satellite tracking network turns 50.
Since its inception in 1975, Estrack – ESA’s global network of ground stations – has formed the vital communication bridge between satellites in orbit and mission control at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany.
Now comprising six stations spanning six countries, Estrack has grown into a strategic asset for Europe, enabling communication with spacecraft, transmitting commands and receiving scientific data.
The network keeps an eye on satellites no matter their location:
Starship megarocket blows up over Indian Ocean in latest bumpy test
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How to capture Moon landing videos – from grainy to HD
The next time astronauts land on the Moon, we will watch it in high-definition. The transmission will be in colour, digital and at up to 60 frames per second.
After brief X outage, Musk says refocusing on businesses
Social media platform X was hit by a two-hour outage Saturday, prompting owner Elon Musk to say he needs to spend more time focusing on his companies.
His statement echoed comments earlier this month suggesting he would reduce his role in US President Donald Trump's administration.
The world's richest person has an extraordinarily full plate as owner/CEO of X, xAI (developer of the AI-po Starship tumbles back to Ocean after reaching a nominal orbit
SpaceX's prototype Starship exploded over the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, capping another bumpy test flight for the rocket central to billionaire Elon Musk's dream of colonizing Mars.
The biggest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built lifted off around 6:36 pm (2336 GMT) from the company's Starbase facility, near a southern Texas village that earlier this month voted to become a city - al Aiming for less explosive end, SpaceX targets Starship launch this evening
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Inauguration of the European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI) – first ESA presence in Switzerland
The European Space Agency (ESA) has inaugurated the European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), the first ESA presence in Switzerland, created in close collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). The new centre is located at the Switzerland Innovation Park Innovaare in Villigen. The opening highlights the growing role of deep tech in space exploration and its potential to boost Europe's growth and competitiveness.
Prostheses fit to Fly!
The performance of a lower limb prosthesis has been evaluated in microgravity conditions for the first time during the latest ESA parabolic flight campaign on the ‘Zero G’ aircraft.
SpaceX set for next Starship launch after fiery failures
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ESA and UN harness space data for sustainable development
ESA and UN harness space data for sustainable development
