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European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

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

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

ohb.de

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

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

DefenseNews.com

EDRS-A to launch with space-based laser communications payload for secure, high-capacity data links

2026-04-22T17:50:05.414500-07:00

News Timeline

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

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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

DefenseNews.com

EDRS-A to launch with space-based laser communications payload for secure, high-capacity data links A space-based laser communications system integrated on the European Data Relay System (EDRS)-A satellite payload is scheduled for launch Jan. 27. ESA and Airbus Defence & Space describe it as a secure, high-capacity data transmitter supporting both commercial and military operators.

2026-04-22T17:50:05.414500-07:00

EDRS-A to launch with space-based laser communications payload for secure, high-capacity data links

ESA

ESA and EDA sign implementing arrangement to map Europe’s Earth-observation gaps for defense, with EU EOGS/ISR architecture bids The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have signed an implementing arrangement to identify strategic and technological gaps in Europe’s Earth observation capabilities and produce a long-term roadmap supporting security and defence. Separately, ESA has set a May 5 deadline for industry to propose system architecture for the future EU Earth Observational Governmental System (EOGS) ISR constellation.

2026-04-22T08:06:31.834168-07:00

ESA and EDA sign implementing arrangement to map Europe’s Earth-observation gaps for defense, with EU EOGS/ISR architecture bids

SpaceWatch Global

ESA awards Kepler-led consortium €18.6M to deliver HydRON Phase 3 laser communications The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded Kepler an €18.6 million contract to lead and kick off the third phase of its High-Roughput Optical Network (HydRON) laser communications project. The award extends ESA’s optical links push toward higher-throughput space-to-ground connectivity.

2026-04-21T04:48:28.964641-07:00

ESA awards Kepler-led consortium €18.6M to deliver HydRON Phase 3 laser communications

SpaceWatch Global

Josef Aschbacher at Space Symposium 2026: Copernicus-driven “economy” meets a 350TB/day data scaling gap ESA DG Josef Aschbacher told Space Symposium 2026 that Europe’s competitiveness in the global space ecosystem now hinges on closing a rapid scaling gap in data generation and exploitation. The discussion connected Copernicus’ growth expectations—framed as 350TB/day—to the policy, industrial and service changes ESA says Europe must deliver.

2026-04-20T04:04:08.895409-07:00

Josef Aschbacher at Space Symposium 2026: Copernicus-driven “economy” meets a 350TB/day data scaling gap

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ESA News

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

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

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

EDRS-A to launch with space-based laser communications payload for secure, high-capacity data links

News Timeline