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European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

OHB Space UK awarded €320.7M to build and test spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus mission; Thales Alenia Space granted prelimin

OHB Space UK has secured a €320.7 million contract to assemble and test the spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus explorer mission. Separately, OHB Space UK and Thales Alenia Space signed a Preliminary Authorisation to begin work estimated at about €24 million, advancing the mission toward integration and verification.

2026-05-15T01:30:24.960347-07:00

SpaceNews.com

ESA–China SMILE mission slips into its launch phase May 19 to map the shape of Earth’s magnetosphere

2026-05-15T11:15:23.779720-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA opens €16M Boost! sounding-rocket call to fly five experiments in 2027-28

2026-05-14T02:37:04.116348-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA starts risk-mitigation work to replace NASA contributions for LISA

2026-05-08T04:10:07.547161-07:00

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SpaceNews.com

ESA–China SMILE mission slips into its launch phase May 19 to map the shape of Earth’s magnetosphere ESA and China’s SMILE spacecraft is scheduled to launch May 19 after about a decade of preparation. The mission aims to deliver a “wide and unique” view of how solar wind streams and bursts of radiation from the Sun reshape Earth’s invisible magnetic shield—after an extensive pre-launch journey.

2026-05-15T11:15:23.779720-07:00

ESA–China SMILE mission slips into its launch phase May 19 to map the shape of Earth’s magnetosphere

European Spaceflight

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OHB Space UK awarded €320.7M to build and test spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus mission; Thales Alenia Space granted prelimin OHB Space UK has secured a €320.7 million contract to assemble and test the spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus explorer mission. Separately, OHB Space UK and Thales Alenia Space signed a Preliminary Authorisation to begin work estimated at about €24 million, advancing the mission toward integration and verification.

2026-05-15T01:30:24.960347-07:00

OHB Space UK awarded €320.7M to build and test spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus mission; Thales Alenia Space granted prelimin

European Spaceflight

❗️

ESA opens €16M Boost! sounding-rocket call to fly five experiments in 2027-28 ESA has reopened a €16 million call under its Boost! programme to support one or more European sounding-rocket mission campaigns carrying five experiments in 2027 or 2028. The initiative is designed to spur European companies developing and operating space-transport services.

2026-05-14T02:37:04.116348-07:00

ESA opens €16M Boost! sounding-rocket call to fly five experiments in 2027-28

European Spaceflight

Thales Alenia Space ships ExoMars structural test models to Cannes for vibration and acoustic testing Thales Alenia Space has shipped structural models for ESA’s ExoMars mission to Cannes, where they will be used for planned vibration and acoustic testing. The move signals continued integration of ground-validation hardware ahead of the mission’s next engineering and qualification milestones.

2026-05-13T08:25:51.191285-07:00

Thales Alenia Space ships ExoMars structural test models to Cannes for vibration and acoustic testing

European Spaceflight

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ESA starts risk-mitigation work to replace NASA contributions for LISA The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched efforts to reduce program risk by developing European alternatives to NASA’s planned contributions to the LISA mission. The move signals ESA’s intent to preserve mission continuity despite uncertainty around NASA-provided elements.

2026-05-08T04:10:07.547161-07:00

ESA starts risk-mitigation work to replace NASA contributions for LISA

Space Intel Report

SME4Space urges EU protection on competition as “Bromo” space merger draws muted labor pushback The SME4Space association says European governments should safeguard competition as a proposed merger combining Airbus Space, Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo Space (“Bromo”) faces stakeholder scrutiny. The report notes labor unions and competitors have shown surprisingly limited negative reaction to date—potentially shaping how political and regulatory momentum develops.

2026-05-06T14:25:15.530771-07:00

SME4Space urges EU protection on competition as “Bromo” space merger draws muted labor pushback

Space.com

ESA Space Rider advances qualification and testing toward first flight readiness as Dassault VORTEX pursues runway-return reusab ESA’s Space Rider is progressing through key test and qualification milestones designed to move the reusable spacecraft concept closer to flight readiness. In parallel, Dassault is developing the VORTEX runway-return spaceplane concept for LEO capability, with the effort positioned as an emerging European reusability path pending funding and demonstrations.

2026-05-06T12:57:24.365123-07:00

ESA Space Rider advances qualification and testing toward first flight readiness as Dassault VORTEX pursues runway-return reusab

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

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ESA News

OHB Space UK awarded €320.7M to build and test spacecraft for ESA’s EnVision Venus mission; Thales Alenia Space granted prelimin

ESA–China SMILE mission slips into its launch phase May 19 to map the shape of Earth’s magnetosphere

ESA opens €16M Boost! sounding-rocket call to fly five experiments in 2027-28

ESA starts risk-mitigation work to replace NASA contributions for LISA

News Timeline