Payload
• Douglas Gorman
Europe is pursuing new launch capabilities across the sector, but establishing a competitive and reliable launcher ecosystem remains challenging. This field guide examines the current state of European launchers and the hurdles facing the continent’s efforts to strengthen access to space.
ESA
Latest source-backed stories
Europe is pursuing new launch capabilities across the sector, but establishing a competitive and reliable launcher ecosystem remains challenging. This field guide examines the current state of European launchers and the hurdles facing the continent’s efforts to strengthen access to space.
High activity
ArianeGroup has completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Themis reusable booster demonstrator at Esrange Space Centre in Sweden. The milestone advances ground verification for the program’s reusable propulsion and launch-system integration, paving the way for subsequent test activity.
High activity
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.
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.
High activity
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.
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.
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.
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