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Earth from Space: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Through the Cupola: Sophie Adenot photographs Earth from orbit
Through the Cupola: Sophie Adenot photographs Earth from orbitPreparing first Ariane 6 with four boosters and liftoff
Timelapse showing the steps to build the most powerful version of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
The video shows the central core of the rocket arriving at the launch pad on 21 January 2026, where it was raised upright and placed on the launch table on the same day.
Then launch technicians added the first booster, second booster, third booster and the final, fourth booster over ending on the 22 January. Next the upper part including the 32 Amazon Leo satellites was added to the top of the rocket on 9 February.
On launch day the mobile hangar that houses Ariane 6 was rolled away to reveal the rocket to the stars, followed by liftoff.
This first launch of the four-booster version of Ariane 6, operated by Arianespace, took 32 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation to low-Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred at 13:45 local time (16:45 GMT/17:45 CET) on 12 February, with separation of the last satellites occurring after 114 minutes.
Training for the εpsilon mission
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot began her training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, where she studied spacecraft systems and crew operations — learning to think and act as an astronaut. Alongside this, she conditioned her body for spaceflight and prepared for the physical and operational demands of her mission.
Her preparation includes continuous medical training and support, neutral buoyancy training for spacewalks and immersive virtual reality sessions at ESA’s XR Lab.
This video features interviews with Bimba Hoyer, Flight Surgeon at ESA; Hervé Stevenin, Head of EVA & Parabolic Flight Training Unit and Head of the Neutral Buoyancy Facility; and Lionel Ferra, Software and Artificial Intelligence Team Leader at ESA.
James Webb Space Telescope spots faint asteroid 2024 YR4 - 26 February 2026
James Webb Space Telescope spots faint asteroid 2024 YR4 - 26 February 2026Bird’s-eye view of Trouvelot Crater
Hubble & Euclid zoom into Cat's Eye Nebula
Hubble & Euclid: zoom into Cat's Eye NebulaHubble & Euclid zoom into cosmic eye
This video takes the viewer on a journey through space to one of the most visually remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543.
Here, the nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESA’s Euclid, highlighting the remarkable complexity of stellar death.
This extraordinary planetary nebula lies in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure.
Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864 – examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that’s characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.
Total retreat of 31 key glaciers/ice shelves, 1996-2024
Self-healable Cassandra demonstrator
Self-healable Cassandra demonstratorMonitoring Climate Change from Space Webinar Series #1 | Satellite Retrievals of CO₂ and Methane.
In this first webinar of the Monitoring Climate from Space series, Michael Buchwitz (University of Bremen), provides an overview of the current status of space-based observations of CO₂ and methane, and explains how atmospheric concentrations are retrieved from satellite measurements and how these data are used to assess human-made emissions and natural sinks. The session also highlights the ESA GHG-CCI project and its links to wider climate services and related application-focused initiatives.
Join our latest monthly webinar series showcasing the latest climate science from the ESA-CCI ECV projects. Find out more: https://climate.esa.int/en/climate-change-initiative-training/webinars/
In-flight call with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot
On 26 February, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot conducted her first in-flight call with selected French media.
Sophie Adenot εpsilon mission experiments
During her mission aboard the International Space Station, Sophie Adenot will carry out a series of European-led experiments focused on health and crew autonomy.
Among them is the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D), a compact and versatile in-flight exercise system designed to support the future of human exploration. The mission also includes experiments conducted in collaboration with CADMOS, CNES’ centre dedicated to human spaceflight and microgravity research.
Alongside her scientific work, Sophie will contribute to several educational initiatives. Through ChlorISS (with CNES), she will grow seeds aboard the ISS while more than 260,000 students in over 4,000 schools replicate the experiment in their classrooms.
Students can also participate in the European Astro Pi Challenge, programming computers on the ISS to collect real orbital data, and in Mission X, where they train like astronauts through science and fitness challenges that promote healthy lifestyles on Earth and in space.
This video features interviews with Tobias Weber, Space Medicine Scientist at ESA, and Rémi Canton, Project Manager for Human Spaceflight at CADMOS.
εpsilon mission patch explained
The εpsilon name and patch reflect the power of small, yet impactful contributions and how multiple parts unite to create a whole. In mathematics, “ε” represents something small. In the extensive collaborative effort of space exploration, involving thousands of participants, all roles, including the astronaut's role, stay small yet meaningful.
Orbital plumbing maintenance aboard the International Space Station
Orbital plumbing maintenance aboard the International Space StationEarth from Space: Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captures the icy landscape of Terra Nova Bay in East Antarctica.First glimpse of comet 3I/ATLAS from Juice science camera
Space safety hazards: asteroids
Asteroids are ancient space rocks left over from the formation of the Solar System. They are thought to have brought complex molecules, and possibly early life, to Earth billions of years ago.
As inhabitants of our planet, we must learn how to keep ourselves and Earth safe from any future impacts that might pose a threat.
Planetary defence is an essential element of ESA’s Space Safety programme. ESA conducts regular observation campaigns to search the sky for potentially hazardous asteroids. If detected, their orbits are calculated and predicted and, if necessary, impact warnings are issued
ESA is also working on mitigation measures – including space missions.
Webb Examines Cranium Nebula
Textile antenna incorporated into HALTI's jacket
Textile antenna incorporated into HALTI's jacket to provide wireless connection enabled by geostationary satellitesAnnular solar eclipse over Antarctica
A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse seen from Concordia research station in Antarctica on 17 February 2026.
Peaking at 19:47 local time (12:47 CET), the Moon passed directly in front of the Sun's centre, leaving only a thin, glowing annulus of sunlight visible. Astronomers call this moment annularity, and it lasted just two minutes, though the full partial eclipse spanned around two hours.
Only a narrow path on Earth can witness an annular eclipse in its entirety, and today the crew at Concordia were among the very few located within that corridor. While a partial eclipse could be seen from other regions, only this small slice of Antarctica experienced the Sun transformed into a perfect ring of fire over the icy plateau.
ESA's Proba-2 spacecraft also witnessed the eclipse from Earth orbit. Three upcoming solar eclipses - on 12 August 2026, 2 August 2027, and 26 January 2028 - will be visible from Europe.
Operated by the French and Italian Antarctic research programmes, Concordia sits 1100 km inland at an altitude of 3200 m. It is currently summer at the station: today, the Sun stayed above the horizon for nearly 20 hours, with temperatures reaching a comparatively mild –29 °C. But soon the light will fade: from May to August, the Sun will not rise at all, plunging the station into four months of continuous darkness where temperatures can fall below –80 °C. During this polar winter, the crew must live in complete isolation and full autonomy.
These extreme conditions make Concordia one of the best analogues on Earth for long-duration spaceflight, including future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. For this reason, ESA sends a medical doctor every year to the station to study how humans adapt to disrupted daylight cycles, isolation and confinement.
Despite the challenges, Concordia often rewards its crew with views found nowhere else on Earth.
You can find out more about the medical doctors who winter over at Concordia station on our blog.
Students kick off experiments on ESA’s flat floor
Students kick off experiments on ESA’s flat floorUnfolding MetOp-SG-B1’s solar wing
Greta rocket engine first test-firing campaign
The Greta engine firing up on a new mobile test stand in Trauen, Germany. Greta was ignited multiple times from July to November 2025 and showed stable operations, including controlled shutdowns. During the test campaign the engine fired continuously for over 40 seconds at a time.
The Greta project, part of the European Space Agency’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme is developing a 5 kN thrust class rocket engine that can be restarted reliably several times.
Greta uses hydrogen peroxide and ethanol as propellants, a more sustainable alternative with a lower carbon footprint compared to monomethyl hydrazine propellant used by most traditional rocket engines in this thrust range.
Greta was tested on a new, low-cost and versatile mobile test stand with instruments measuring data such as pressure and temperature, which will be used to further optimise the engine.
Greta’s 30-cm high combustion chamber is built up in layers by melting metal powders with a laser. This technique allows for complex shapes to be made that would be difficult to achieve with conventional metallurgy. For example, the Greta engine is cooled by passing fluid through complex channels built into the engine as close as possible to the inner wall of the chamber which is in contact with the hot – over 2000°C – combustion gases.
ArianeGroup in Ottobrunn, Germany is the prime contractor for Greta. This type of engine could be used on lunar landers or on kick stages, such as Astris that is being developed for Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket.
NGC 1637 (Hubble WFC3 and Webb NIRCam images)
NGC 1637 (Hubble WFC3 and Webb NIRCam images)Meet ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot
Born in France in 1982, Sophie Adenot is an engineer, helicopter test pilot and colonel in the French Air and Space Force. Selected as an ESA astronaut in 2022, she completed her basic training at the European Astronaut Centre in 2024 and launched to the International Space Station on 13 February 2026 for her first mission, εpsilon.
Annular solar eclipse seen from space
Proba-2's view from Earth orbit of an annular solar eclipseFrance hit by severe flooding
Smile leaving Saint-Nazaire in France
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