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Rocket Lab Sends Up Test Satellites for Europe’s Next-Gen Navigation System
Rocket Lab launched two Celeste satellites for the European Space Agency, testing a new low Earth orbit layer for the Galileo navigation system to deliver stronger, more reliable navigation signals worldwide.
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Europe's Sun-Observation Satellite Loses Contact With Ground Control: Here's What We Know
Proba-3 consists of two satellites - the Coronagraph and the Occulter, and the former has gone dark.
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James Webb Telescope Maps Uranus in 3D for the First Time; Data Reveals Hidden Storms, Methane Clouds
The James Webb Space Telescope has produced the first 3D map of Uranus’s upper atmosphere, tracking temperatures and ion densities up to 5,000 kilometers above its clouds. The observations reveal bright auroras shaped by the planet’s tilted magnetic field and confirm that Uranus is still slowly cooling over long timescales.
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Unique Inside-Out Planetary System Reveals Unexpected Rocky World on the Outer Edge
Astronomers have discovered a rare inside-out planetary system around LHS 1903, where a rocky planet exists beyond gas giants. Using ESA’s CHEOPS telescope, researchers found evidence that planets formed one after another in a gas-depleted environment, challenging long-standing theories about how planetary systems form and evolve across the galax...
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AI Identifies More Than 1,300 Unusual Objects in Hubble Space Telescope Images
Artificial intelligence has combed through decades of Hubble Space Telescope data, revealing hundreds of unusual celestial objects that astronomers had missed. ESA’s AnomalyMatch neural network scanned around 100 million image cutouts in just days, flagging more than 1,300 anomalies. Among them are colliding galaxies, rare gravitational lenses, a...
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ESA’s Solar Orbiter Reveals How Magnetic Avalanches Trigger Solar Flares
New observations from ESA’s Solar Orbiter show that solar flares can be triggered by cascading magnetic disturbances. During a close solar pass, the spacecraft captured fine details of twisted magnetic fields repeatedly breaking and reconnecting, creating a magnetic “avalanche” that amplified a small instability into a powerful flare. The fin...
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Hubble Reveals How Blue Straggler Stars Stay Young in Ancient Clusters
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered new clues to the mystery of blue straggler stars—unusually hot, bright stars found in ancient globular clusters. By studying ultraviolet light from 48 clusters, scientists discovered that blue stragglers are more common in sparse clusters, supporting the idea that they form through binar...
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European Space Agency Hit by Cyberattacks, Hundreds of Gigabytes of Data Stolen by Hackers
ESA suffered cyberattacks that exposed hundreds of gigabytes of sensitive data, including mission details, access credentials, and proprietary software. While no immediate threat is reported, cybersecurity experts warn that combined leaks could pose strategic risks. The agency is cooperating with authorities, highlighting the need for stronger cybe...
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Astronomers Successfully Weigh a Starless ‘Rogue Planet’ Drifting Through the Milky Way
Astronomers have precisely measured the mass of a rogue planet wandering through the Milky Way using a rare gravitational microlensing event. By combining observations from ground-based telescopes across three continents with data from ESA’s Gaia spacecraft, researchers determined the planet’s distance and found it to be about the mass of Satur...
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Make Closest Approach to Earth on December 19
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19, passing safely at a vast distance. Discovered by NASA-funded telescopes, the rare visitor offers scientists a valuable chance to study material formed around another star. Observations from space telescopes are expected to deepen understanding of interstellar objects.
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Europe’s Ariane 6 Rocket Lifts Off With First Galileo Satellites, Boosting Europe’s Navigation Network
Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket has launched its first Galileo navigation satellites, joining the 26-satellite constellation. The mission strengthens Europe’s GPS capabilities and reduces reliance on foreign rockets.
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Nears Earth on Dec. 19, Offering Rare Insights Into Cosmic Visitors
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19. Observing the comet provides scientists a rare opportunity to study dust and gases from its icy nucleus and learn more about material forming around other stars, expanding understanding of interstellar objects while posing no threat to our planet.
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ESA Reveals City-Size ‘Cosmic Butterfly’ Crater on Mars Containing Signs of Ancient Water
ESA has captured a city-sized butterfly-shaped crater on Mars with smooth wings likely formed by melted underground ice. Studying this rare structure helps scientists understand asteroid impacts, Mars’ surface ice, and the planet’s ancient watery past while offering insight into how unusual crater formations develop on the Red Planet.
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Germany to Send First European Astronaut Around the Moon on Artemis Mission
Europe has secured its first astronaut seat to orbit the Moon through NASA’s Artemis program, marking a historic milestone for ESA. Director General Josef Aschbacher confirmed that a German astronaut will take the inaugural European lunar-orbit mission, enabled by Europe’s contributions to Orion’s service module and the Lunar Gateway. Veteran...
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NASA Steps In to Support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover Ahead of 2028 Mars Launch
NASA will deliver crucial hardware, thermal units, landing thrusters, and a U.S. launch vehicle to support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, set for launch in 2028. The rover will drill two meters into Mars to search for ancient life using the advanced Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instrument.
-
Rocket Lab Sends Up Test Satellites for Europe’s Next-Gen Navigation System
Rocket Lab launched two Celeste satellites for the European Space Agency, testing a new low Earth orbit layer for the Galileo navigation system to deliver stronger, more reliable navigation signals worldwide.
-
Europe's Sun-Observation Satellite Loses Contact With Ground Control: Here's What We Know
Proba-3 consists of two satellites - the Coronagraph and the Occulter, and the former has gone dark.
-
James Webb Telescope Maps Uranus in 3D for the First Time; Data Reveals Hidden Storms, Methane Clouds
The James Webb Space Telescope has produced the first 3D map of Uranus’s upper atmosphere, tracking temperatures and ion densities up to 5,000 kilometers above its clouds. The observations reveal bright auroras shaped by the planet’s tilted magnetic field and confirm that Uranus is still slowly cooling over long timescales.
-
Unique Inside-Out Planetary System Reveals Unexpected Rocky World on the Outer Edge
Astronomers have discovered a rare inside-out planetary system around LHS 1903, where a rocky planet exists beyond gas giants. Using ESA’s CHEOPS telescope, researchers found evidence that planets formed one after another in a gas-depleted environment, challenging long-standing theories about how planetary systems form and evolve across the galax...
-
AI Identifies More Than 1,300 Unusual Objects in Hubble Space Telescope Images
Artificial intelligence has combed through decades of Hubble Space Telescope data, revealing hundreds of unusual celestial objects that astronomers had missed. ESA’s AnomalyMatch neural network scanned around 100 million image cutouts in just days, flagging more than 1,300 anomalies. Among them are colliding galaxies, rare gravitational lenses, a...
-
ESA’s Solar Orbiter Reveals How Magnetic Avalanches Trigger Solar Flares
New observations from ESA’s Solar Orbiter show that solar flares can be triggered by cascading magnetic disturbances. During a close solar pass, the spacecraft captured fine details of twisted magnetic fields repeatedly breaking and reconnecting, creating a magnetic “avalanche” that amplified a small instability into a powerful flare. The fin...
-
Hubble Reveals How Blue Straggler Stars Stay Young in Ancient Clusters
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered new clues to the mystery of blue straggler stars—unusually hot, bright stars found in ancient globular clusters. By studying ultraviolet light from 48 clusters, scientists discovered that blue stragglers are more common in sparse clusters, supporting the idea that they form through binar...
-
European Space Agency Hit by Cyberattacks, Hundreds of Gigabytes of Data Stolen by Hackers
ESA suffered cyberattacks that exposed hundreds of gigabytes of sensitive data, including mission details, access credentials, and proprietary software. While no immediate threat is reported, cybersecurity experts warn that combined leaks could pose strategic risks. The agency is cooperating with authorities, highlighting the need for stronger cybe...
-
Astronomers Successfully Weigh a Starless ‘Rogue Planet’ Drifting Through the Milky Way
Astronomers have precisely measured the mass of a rogue planet wandering through the Milky Way using a rare gravitational microlensing event. By combining observations from ground-based telescopes across three continents with data from ESA’s Gaia spacecraft, researchers determined the planet’s distance and found it to be about the mass of Satur...
-
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Make Closest Approach to Earth on December 19
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19, passing safely at a vast distance. Discovered by NASA-funded telescopes, the rare visitor offers scientists a valuable chance to study material formed around another star. Observations from space telescopes are expected to deepen understanding of interstellar objects.
-
Europe’s Ariane 6 Rocket Lifts Off With First Galileo Satellites, Boosting Europe’s Navigation Network
Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket has launched its first Galileo navigation satellites, joining the 26-satellite constellation. The mission strengthens Europe’s GPS capabilities and reduces reliance on foreign rockets.
-
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Nears Earth on Dec. 19, Offering Rare Insights Into Cosmic Visitors
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19. Observing the comet provides scientists a rare opportunity to study dust and gases from its icy nucleus and learn more about material forming around other stars, expanding understanding of interstellar objects while posing no threat to our planet.
-
ESA Reveals City-Size ‘Cosmic Butterfly’ Crater on Mars Containing Signs of Ancient Water
ESA has captured a city-sized butterfly-shaped crater on Mars with smooth wings likely formed by melted underground ice. Studying this rare structure helps scientists understand asteroid impacts, Mars’ surface ice, and the planet’s ancient watery past while offering insight into how unusual crater formations develop on the Red Planet.
-
Germany to Send First European Astronaut Around the Moon on Artemis Mission
Europe has secured its first astronaut seat to orbit the Moon through NASA’s Artemis program, marking a historic milestone for ESA. Director General Josef Aschbacher confirmed that a German astronaut will take the inaugural European lunar-orbit mission, enabled by Europe’s contributions to Orion’s service module and the Lunar Gateway. Veteran...
-
NASA Steps In to Support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover Ahead of 2028 Mars Launch
NASA will deliver crucial hardware, thermal units, landing thrusters, and a U.S. launch vehicle to support ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, set for launch in 2028. The rover will drill two meters into Mars to search for ancient life using the advanced Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer instrument.
