Unveiling the all-new ESA Impact: Dive into our Q1 2024 edition

Welcome to the 2024 first quarter edition of ESA Impact – your interactive gateway to the most important stories and images from the European Space Agency

A newly devised procedure to de-ice Euclid's optics has performed significantly better than hoped. Light coming in to the visible ‘VIS’ instrument from distant stars was gradually decreasing due small amounts of water ice building up on its optics. Mission teams spent months devising a procedure to heat up individual mirrors in the instrument’s complex optical system, without interfering with the finely tuned mission’s calibration or potentially causing further contamination. After the very first mirror was warmed by just 34 degrees, Euclid's sight was restored.

Washington (AFP) Mar 25, 2024
FTX, the bankrupt company once run by disgraced crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried, will sell two-thirds of its shares in hot AI startup Anthropic for $880 million, a court filing said on Monday. The shares in Anthropic were considered plum assets in the remains of the FTX empire that collapsed in late 2022, when revelations showed occurrences of massive fraud by Bankman-Fried and his close assoc

Washington DC (UPI) Mar 25, 2024
SpaceX on Monday successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The craft took off as scheduled from Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:42 p.m. The Falcon 9's first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean following the launch, SpaceX

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
In a landmark partnership, Aerospacelab and Xona Space Systems have committed to a collaboration that will significantly impact the satellite navigation sector. This alliance aims to drive forward the development and deployment of cutting-edge satellite technology, combining Aerospacelab's expertise in satellite design, manufacturing, and operations with Xona's innovative navigation solutions.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
Astrobotic recently announced the addition of four seasoned space industry professionals to its team, enhancing its capabilities as the company gears up for its Griffin-1 lunar mission. The new hires include Steve Clarke as the Vice President of Landers and Spacecraft, specializing in lunar system development, and Frank Peri as the Director of Engineering, focusing on Griffin-1, with a wealth of

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
Sateliot, pioneering the integration of a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) 5G IoT satellite constellation into cellular networks, announces a partnership with SpaceX for the imminent launch of four satellites. This initiative marks the commencement of Sateliot's first constellation phase and the beginning of its commercial operations. Joining two existing satellites, the launch signifies Sateliot's s

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
NASA has chosen Oakwood School's student-crafted CubeSat, NyanSat, for deployment to the International Space Station, marking a significant achievement as Oakwood emerges as the sole K-12 institution among selectees, predominantly comprising universities and a NASA center. This decision underscores the innovative capabilities and dedication of Oakwood's Spacecraft Systems Engineering students.

Paris, France (SPX) Mar 26, 2024
The European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with technology partners, is embarking on an ambitious project to develop artificial intelligence (AI) applications designed to transform the way we retrieve information from Earth observation data. This initiative aims to create a digital assistant capable of producing scientifically accurate responses based on verified data, answering complex q