ESA News

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

ESA, SES and Italian builders expand deep-space and Earth-observation communications capabilities—from quantum-secure ground lin

ESA has tapped Aalyria for a solar-system network-operations center and commissioned an optical ground station in Luxembourg aimed at ultra-secure, quantum-enabled satellite communications. SES will route station data via its O3b mPOWER network ahead of Starlab. Italy’s PRISMA Second Generation hyperspectral mission is moving toward a 2031 launch with Thales Alenia Space and OHB Italia.

SpaceWatch Global

ESA Commissions Optical Ground Station in Luxembourg to Advance Quantum-Enabled Ultra-Secure Satellite Communications

Via Satellite

Eutelsat signs MoU with Poland to support IRIS² secure satellite communications participation

Eutelsat says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Poland to deepen cooperation in support of Europe’s secure satellite communications infrastructure under the IRIS² programme. The agreement is aimed at enabling Poland’s participation in the IRIS² effort alongside related cooperation commitments.

SpaceNews.com

High activity

ESA moves to assess repurposing Lunar Link for a dedicated lunar communications asset

The European Space Agency has opened a call to examine the feasibility of repurposing Lunar Link—a communications system originally developed for NASA’s now-paused Gateway space station—into a dedicated lunar communications capability. The effort targets a future-focused architecture for lunar connectivity.

Payload

Orbes unveils Exo-ORB free-flying ~12U “maintenance spacecraft” under an agreement to image Symphony Space station

Orbes has announced an agreement (July 27) to send Exo-ORB—an approximately 12U, under-26kg, free-flying satellite—on-board customer infrastructure to gather imagery of an uncrewed Symphony Space station. The company positioned Exo-ORB as a “ready-to-go” inspection platform launched via customer systems.

SpaceWatch Global

ESA and UK Space Agency open new ESA InCubed call for EO-based proposals in the UK

The European Space Agency has issued a new call for proposals in partnership with the UK Space Agency under ESA InCubed, targeting Earth observation (EO)-based concepts. The funding opportunity is aimed at supporting UK-focused innovation and early-stage development tied to EO applications.

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

ESA awards ispace-EUROPE execution contract for MAGPIE lunar polar ice exploration mission phase

ESA has awarded ispace-EUROPE an execution contract for the second phase of the MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) program. The agreement advances ESA’s lunar polar ice exploration efforts through the next development and delivery step under the broader MAGPIE contract structure.

Bloomberg

European SpaceX Rival in Talks to Raise $300 Million, FT Reports