News

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown

ESA has completed sterilisation of the ExoMars parachute set that will slow the Rosalind Franklin rover’s descent for a safe touchdown on Mars. ESA’s Mars chief engineer Albert Haldemann walked through the sterilisation approach and why it’s critical to mission success for the rover’s environment-sensitive landing phase.

2026-05-01T00:54:51.537593-07:00

newsroom.arianespace.com

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

2026-04-28T22:45:36.211255-07:00

Universe Today

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations

2026-04-29T14:21:41.492217-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA disputes Gateway-delay claims, says HALO and I-HAB corrosion isn’t the primary driver

2026-04-24T10:23:31.115211-07:00

News Timeline

SpaceWatch Global

EU–Swiss bilateral agreement opens Swiss participation in EU space program activities The European Union and Switzerland have signed a broad package of agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including terms that open Swiss participation in EU space program activities. The deal broadens cross-border engagement on EU-led space initiatives under a formalized framework for collaboration.

2026-05-01T02:24:59.822507-07:00

EU–Swiss bilateral agreement opens Swiss participation in EU space program activities

European Spaceflight

❗️

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown ESA has completed sterilisation of the ExoMars parachute set that will slow the Rosalind Franklin rover’s descent for a safe touchdown on Mars. ESA’s Mars chief engineer Albert Haldemann walked through the sterilisation approach and why it’s critical to mission success for the rover’s environment-sensitive landing phase.

2026-05-01T00:54:51.537593-07:00

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown

Universe Today

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations ESA says its Proba-3 formation-flying coronagraph is tracking space weather back to its origin, a first for the mission architecture. The system’s eclipse-style observations are aimed at improving how solar wind features are observed and attributed to their source regions.

2026-04-29T14:21:41.492217-07:00

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations

newsroom.arianespace.com

❗️

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites Ariane 6 is in final launch-campaign checkout for VA268/LE-02, scheduled for April 30, 2026, launching from Kourou in a four-booster configuration for a second time. The mission will deploy 32 Amazon broadband-beaming (LEO) satellites into low Earth orbit.

2026-04-28T22:45:36.211255-07:00

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

SpaceNews.com

Corrosion issue found in European-built modules for NASA’s Gateway and a commercial space station A European manufacturer has identified corrosion in modules intended for both the lunar Gateway and a commercial space station, raising new material and qualification questions for flight hardware. The report flags the issue as affecting more than one program, implying shared design, supply chain, or processing factors.

2026-04-28T03:20:48.678656-07:00

Corrosion issue found in European-built modules for NASA’s Gateway and a commercial space station

European Spaceflight

ESA reveals ~€51.65M launch bill for Sentinel-1C on Vega C return-to-flight ESA contract disclosures show the agency paid €51.65 million to place the Sentinel-1C Earth-observation satellite into orbit aboard a Vega C rocket, highlighting the cost and procurement specifics behind Europe’s Earth-imaging mission cadence and launch-service requalification efforts.

2026-04-26T23:20:36.846526-07:00

ESA reveals ~€51.65M launch bill for Sentinel-1C on Vega C return-to-flight

European Spaceflight

❗️

ESA disputes Gateway-delay claims, says HALO and I-HAB corrosion isn’t the primary driver The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed corrosion issues on HALO and I-HAB but pushed back against claims that those problems were the primary cause of delays to the Gateway station’s development. ESA’s response also directly addresses assertions attributed to the NASA administrator regarding the source of schedule risk.

2026-04-24T10:23:31.115211-07:00

ESA disputes Gateway-delay claims, says HALO and I-HAB corrosion isn’t the primary driver

ohb.de

ESA’s PLATO mission completes thermal-vacuum/pre-launch test campaign ahead of early-2027 launch ESA’s PLATO space telescope has cleared a major pre-launch testing milestone, completing thermal-vacuum and other space-like trials run by OHB. The results confirm spacecraft readiness progress as the mission advances toward its planned launch in early 2027.

2026-04-23T07:35:14.123038-07:00

ESA’s PLATO mission completes thermal-vacuum/pre-launch test campaign ahead of early-2027 launch

Menu

ESA News

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

ESA’s Proba-3 coronagraph begins solar-wind tracking, enabling source-linked space-weather observations

ESA disputes Gateway-delay claims, says HALO and I-HAB corrosion isn’t the primary driver

News Timeline