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European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

ESA awards Thales Alenia Space €26.1M Phase 1 contract for LISA optical telescope development

ESA has selected Thales Alenia Space for a €26.1 million Phase 1 contract to develop six optical telescopes for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) gravitational-wave observatory. The work is focused on the telescope development stage supporting the mission’s transition toward a full implementation phase.

2026-05-05T08:34:37.409747-07:00

Payload

ESA selects Edge Aerospace to develop orbital data-center architectures and use-case road map

2026-05-05T05:51:38.709244-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA weighs switching Harmony satellites from Vega C to a two-booster Ariane 6

2026-05-04T04:34:05.292634-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown

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

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European Spaceflight

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ESA awards Thales Alenia Space €26.1M Phase 1 contract for LISA optical telescope development ESA has selected Thales Alenia Space for a €26.1 million Phase 1 contract to develop six optical telescopes for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) gravitational-wave observatory. The work is focused on the telescope development stage supporting the mission’s transition toward a full implementation phase.

2026-05-05T08:34:37.409747-07:00

ESA awards Thales Alenia Space €26.1M Phase 1 contract for LISA optical telescope development

Payload

ESA selects Edge Aerospace to develop orbital data-center architectures and use-case road map The European Space Agency has selected Edge Aerospace under an agreement to develop an orbital data-center architecture and a supporting use-case roadmap. The study is aimed at clarifying how on-orbit compute/data-center concepts could be packaged into credible, deployable services.

2026-05-05T05:51:38.709244-07:00

ESA selects Edge Aerospace to develop orbital data-center architectures and use-case road map

European Spaceflight

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ESA weighs switching Harmony satellites from Vega C to a two-booster Ariane 6 ESA is considering moving its two Harmony satellites off Vega C and onto a two-booster Ariane 6 configuration. The review highlights how ESA is actively balancing launch-vehicle options as it prepares the Harmony mission, potentially changing the mission’s lift profile and launch-provider mix.

2026-05-04T04:34:05.292634-07:00

ESA weighs switching Harmony satellites from Vega C to a two-booster Ariane 6

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

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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

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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

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ESA News

ESA awards Thales Alenia Space €26.1M Phase 1 contract for LISA optical telescope development

ESA selects Edge Aerospace to develop orbital data-center architectures and use-case road map

ESA weighs switching Harmony satellites from Vega C to a two-booster Ariane 6

ESA sterilises ExoMars Rosalind Franklin descent parachute to enable Mars touchdown

News Timeline