News

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

Avio delays ESA's SMILE launch after Vega C subsystem production issue

Avio has delayed the planned launch of ESA's SMILE mission aboard a Vega C rocket after identifying a subsystem production issue, prompting an as-yet-unspecified schedule slip while the manufacturer addresses the fault. ESA and Avio will reassess launch readiness and implement corrective production steps before announcing a new date.

2026-04-06T01:25:56.393695-07:00

ESA

ESA launches Thales Alenia‑built IOD‑2 pair for Celeste LEO navigation demonstrator

2026-03-30T02:00:26.222893-07:00

Payload

Artemis changes leave ESA and European primes exposed after lunar-station work

2026-03-26T23:15:31.698886-07:00

Universe Today

Solar Orbiter reveals wave-driven energy transfer in the solar wind

2026-03-29T00:57:30.212900-07:00

News Timeline

European Spaceflight

❗️

Avio delays ESA's SMILE launch after Vega C subsystem production issue Avio has delayed the planned launch of ESA's SMILE mission aboard a Vega C rocket after identifying a subsystem production issue, prompting an as-yet-unspecified schedule slip while the manufacturer addresses the fault. ESA and Avio will reassess launch readiness and implement corrective production steps before announcing a new date.

2026-04-06T01:25:56.393695-07:00

Avio delays ESA's SMILE launch after Vega C subsystem production issue

ESA

❗️

ESA launches Thales Alenia‑built IOD‑2 pair for Celeste LEO navigation demonstrator Two Thales Alenia‑built IOD‑2 satellites for the European Space Agency’s Celeste in‑orbit demonstration were launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from New Zealand at 10:14 CET and separated about an hour later. The pair will test a complementary LEO navigation layer intended to improve positioning accuracy and integrity.

2026-03-30T02:00:26.222893-07:00

ESA launches Thales Alenia‑built IOD‑2 pair for Celeste LEO navigation demonstrator

Universe Today

Solar Orbiter reveals wave-driven energy transfer in the solar wind ESA's Solar Orbiter has captured the clearest observations yet of wave structures embedded in the solar wind, revealing how these waves shuttle energy between charged particles as the wind expands outward from the Sun. The measurements clarify fundamental processes shaping near-Sun plasma dynamics and space-weather drivers.

2026-03-29T00:57:30.212900-07:00

Solar Orbiter reveals wave-driven energy transfer in the solar wind

Payload

❗️

Artemis changes leave ESA and European primes exposed after lunar-station work NASA's Artemis changes have upended plans for the planned lunar-orbiting station, leaving ESA and European primes—who were developing many of its key components—facing programmatic uncertainty, potential sunk costs and an urgent need to reassess industrial roles, schedules and funding commitments.

2026-03-26T23:15:31.698886-07:00

Artemis changes leave ESA and European primes exposed after lunar-station work

SpaceWatch Global

Terma to supply T3 star tracker for ESA Draco re-entry demonstrator Terma has signed a contract with Indra Space to deliver its T3 star tracker for ESA's Draco re-entry demonstrator, supporting attitude determination for the mission slated to launch in 2027. The sensor will provide navigation and optical reference functions during high‑speed re‑entry validation.

2026-03-26T07:58:38.747862-07:00

Terma to supply T3 star tracker for ESA Draco re-entry demonstrator

Space.com

❗️

Webb and Hubble deliver most detailed portrait of Saturn, revealing atmospheric layers and reflective rings The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and NASA/ESA Hubble have combined infrared and visible-light observations to produce the most detailed portrait yet of Saturn. The images reveal atmospheric bands, layered storms and strikingly reflective rings, highlighting complementary capabilities across wavelengths.

2026-03-26T07:09:52.895020-07:00

Webb and Hubble deliver most detailed portrait of Saturn, revealing atmospheric layers and reflective rings

SpaceWatch Global

Portugal pushes to become Europe’s gateway to space — Inês d'Ávila at Munich Space Summit 2026 At the Munich Space Summit 2026, Portugal Space Agency's Inês d'Ávila described Portugal's rapid push to become a European gateway to space, highlighting the Azores spaceport, Europe’s first re‑entry licensing steps, and targeted partnerships to attract launch, recovery and downstream commercial activity.

2026-03-26T05:58:40.945709-07:00

Portugal pushes to become Europe’s gateway to space — Inês d'Ávila at Munich Space Summit 2026

SpaceWatch Global

ESA backs TTTech to build terabit‑per‑second Ethernet switch for optical ISL constellations ESA has funded TTTech to develop a terabit‑per‑second Ethernet switch for satellite constellations using optical inter‑satellite links. The project targets in‑orbit packet switching and routing to enable high‑throughput, low‑latency backbone connections across next‑generation LEO/MEO networks.

2026-03-26T04:20:32.585717-07:00

ESA backs TTTech to build terabit‑per‑second Ethernet switch for optical ISL constellations

Menu

ESA News

Avio delays ESA's SMILE launch after Vega C subsystem production issue

ESA launches Thales Alenia‑built IOD‑2 pair for Celeste LEO navigation demonstrator

Artemis changes leave ESA and European primes exposed after lunar-station work

Solar Orbiter reveals wave-driven energy transfer in the solar wind

News Timeline