ESA News

Universe Today

High activity

Japan’s MMX mission targets Oct. 20, 2026, launch to collect and return a sample from Phobos

The Martian Moons eXploration mission is scheduled to lift off from Tanegashima Space Center aboard an H3 rocket at 04:41 JST on Oct. 20, 2026. MMX is intended to become the first mission to collect material from Mars’s moon Phobos and return it to Earth.

SpaceNews.com

High activity

ESA member states signal support for a European human spaceflight capability

Representatives of several European national space agencies have expressed support for plans by the European Space Agency to develop a human spaceflight capability. The report signals backing among member states, but provides no details on the proposed capability, timetable, funding or participating agencies.

SpaceNews.com

ESA member states signal support for new European human spaceflight plans

NASA Spaceflight

Webb and Hubble release new images of stellar nurseries, galaxies and gravitational lensing

Teams behind the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes have released new images capturing stellar nurseries, galaxies and gravitational lensing. Webb is jointly operated by NASA and the European Space Agency, with the Canadian Space Agency also participating; both observatories contributed to the latest collection.

Space Intel Report

ESA governments to meet in December to assess cost of launching their own astronauts; no financing expected

Space Intel Report

ESA governments to assess the cost of a European crewed spacecraft, with no funding decision expected

European Space Agency member governments will meet in Rome on Dec. 15 to discuss investment in a program that would use European hardware to carry astronauts to and from orbit. Securing the one-day meeting is itself a step for Director-General Josef Aschbacher, but the gathering is not expected to produce a financing decision.

Via Satellite

L3Harris selected to build LISA’s all-glass telescope for mid-2030s launch

L3Harris will design, assemble, integrate and test an all-glass telescope for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a European Space Agency mission expected to launch in the mid-2030s. NASA selected the company for the work, according to one report; another describes the telescope as part of ESA’s mission.

European Spaceflight

Italy explores orbital platform to generate artificial gravity

The Italian Space Agency is examining the possibility of building an orbital platform capable of generating artificial gravity. The concept would create an in-space research facility, though the available details do not specify its design, timeline, funding or intended research program.