ESA Top Multimedia

Watch the replay the media information session in which ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and ESA Council Chair Renato Krpoun (CH) updated journalists on the key decisions taken at the ESA Council meeting, held at ESA Headquarters in Paris on 22 and 23 October 2025.

Greyscale footage shows how vapour condenses on the ground (left) and on the International Space Station (right). The footage is sped up five times – the whole clip took around one minute in real time.

On Earth the liquid accumulates at the foot of the fin, whereas in microgravity the liquid spreads across the entire surface as a thin film.

The black layer on the surface of the fin shows the thickness of the moisture layer. On Earth, the liquid film is very thin. In space, without gravity’s pull, this film becomes thicker.

For the first time, a European experiment is looking at the shape liquid films take on cooled surfaces aboard the International Space Station. A fin-shaped metal is in the spotlight for scientists to better observe condensation, liquid drainage and vapour convection.

The Condensation on Fins experiment is pioneering heat transfer tests in orbit to study the role of capillary pressure – the force that pulls liquids through tiny spaces, like water climbing up a paper towel – and condensation, all without gravity getting in the way.

The two pointy fingers on each side are part of the experiment as reference objects for calibration. During every run, the condensed liquid drawn by the sponge and pump is re-evaporated in a closed loop. A high-precision interferometer records the temperature and vapour concentration changes around the fin, as well as tracking the liquid film’s thickness.

From dew at dawn to a foggy mirror after a shower, condensation is part of our daily lives on Earth. In space, microgravity alters how heat flows through gases and liquids, a potential enemy for spacecraft electronics needing to cool down in extreme environments.

Whilst this is fundamental physics research to refine mathematical models, the results will have practical applications, such as cooling electronics in smartphones and computers, and optimising industrial coating processes on our planet.

Space missions could also benefit from more efficient heat exchangers to maintain electronics and life support systems at the right temperature.

More information about this experiment.

English: Open Day 2025 in ESA Headquarters, Paris

Mission accomplished! On 20 September, ESA's Headquarters in Paris opened its doors to the public for the very first time, welcoming nearly 2800 visitors as part of the European Heritage Days.

An exceptional day filled with discovery and curiosity !

French: Open Day 2025 au siège de l’ESA à Paris

Mission accomplie ! Le 20 septembre dernier, le siège de l’ESA à Paris a ouvert pour la toute première fois ses portes au grand public. Près de 2800 visiteurs sont venus nous rendre visite à l'occasion des Journées européennes du patrimoine. 

Une journée exceptionnelle, placée sous le signe de la découverte, de la curiosité et du partage !

First image of nitrogen dioxide from Sentinel-4

ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer walks across the dusty terrain of LUNA, Europe's Moon on Earth. Nearby, ESA's Argonaut lander mock-up stands ready as he carefully navigates the simulated regolith - the dust, soil and rock on the Moon's surface. Alongside a fellow operator, he rehearses a moonwalk under the harsh glare of Sun simulators that mimic lunar lighting to test scientific tools designed to analyse lunar soil and rock.

ESA's robotic explorers, Interact and Spot, join the scene. Spot, the agile robot dog, picks up a sample while Interact, a wheeled robotic arm, supports this rehearsal of autonomous operations. Developed at ESA's ESTEC technical centre, these robots demonstrate the potential of human-robot collaboration for future lunar and planetary missions.

Outside the facility, the FLEXHab module stands as a future lunar habitat analogue. It enables studies on the ergonomics of living and working in confined environments, dust mitigation and tool maintenance - critical for long-duration surface missions.

LUNA is located near Cologne, Germany and is operated jointly by ESA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).  The facility is a cornerstone of Europe's contribution to international lunar exploration, supporting astronauts, scientists and engineers in preparing for missions such as NASA's Artemis programme.

The changing face of the Chilean glaciers in the Laguna San Rafael National Park is featured in these satellite images from 1987 and 2024.

ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst, Matthias Maurer, Samantha Cristoforetti and Thomas Pesquet completed a helicopter training course with the German Bundeswehr, Germany's federal defence forces. They participated in a three-week training programme at the International Helicopter Training Centre in Bückeburg, Germany. The course included  one week of simulator instruction followed by two weeks of practical flying in EC135 helicopters, with operations conducted over central Germany and in mountainous terrain in the German Alps.

Helicopter training offers a realistic analogue for the dynamics of planetary landings, requiring capabilities such as vertical take-off and landing, terrain-based decision-making, and high levels of coordination and situational awareness. These skills are essential for future human spaceflight missions, including lunar landings, where astronauts will descend to the surface using a human landing system and later launch back to orbit. Helicopter manoeuvres closely mirror these mission phases, helping astronauts build proficiency in environments that demand precision and adaptability.

Alexander and Matthias began the course in mid-September, with Samantha and Thomas joining at the beginning of October. The group formally graduated from training on 17 October, marking a key milestone in Europe's preparations for future missions to the Moon and operations on the lunar surface.

English ESA Open Day 2025: An Unforgettable Journey Through Space Science at ESAC

On 4 October 2025, the European Space Agency opened the doors of ESAC – the European Space Astronomy Centre near Madrid – for an inspiring day of discovery. Visitors had the opportunity to explore ESA’s window to the Universe, where missions studying our Solar System, the Milky Way and the distant Universe are operated and analysed.

Throughout the day, guests met ESA scientists and engineers, learned about missions such as Gaia, XMM-Newton, and JUICE, and experienced hands-on activities that brought the wonders of astrophysics and planetary science to life. Interactive exhibits, talks, and guided tours showcased how ESA’s science missions are expanding our understanding of the cosmos.

More than two thousand participants of all ages enjoyed an unforgettable day filled with curiosity, innovation, and a shared passion for exploring the Universe.

Spanish Día de Puertas Abiertas de la ESA 2025: Un viaje inolvidable por la ciencia espacial en ESAC

El 4 de octubre de 2025, la Agencia Espacial Europea (ESA) abrió las puertas de ESAC – el Centro Europeo de Astronomía Espacial, cerca de Madrid – para una jornada inspiradora dedicada al descubrimiento. Los visitantes tuvieron la oportunidad única de adentrarse en el corazón del programa científico de la Agencia Espacial Europea, la ventana de la ESA al Universo, donde se operan y analizan misiones que estudian nuestro Sistema Solar, la Vía Láctea y el espacio profundo.

Charlas, exposiciones y visitas guiadas mostraron cómo las misiones científicas de la ESA amplían nuestro conocimiento del cosmos. A lo largo del día, los asistentes pudieron conocer a científicos e ingenieros de la ESA, descubrir misiones como Gaia, XMM-Newton y JUICE, y participar en actividades interactivas que acercaron la astrofísica y la ciencia planetaria al público de todas las edades. 

Más de dos mil personas disfrutaron de una jornada inolvidable y llena de curiosidad, innovación y pasión por explorar el Universo.

This summer, thanks to satellite connectivity from Eutelsat’s low Earth orbit constellation, OneWeb and the support from the European Space Agency (ESA), and the UK Space Agency, the Kaïros’ We Explore catamaran sailed smarter, safer, and more sustainably on its journey to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. 

This summer, thanks to satellite connectivity from Eutelsat’s low Earth orbit constellation, OneWeb and the support from the European Space Agency (ESA), and the UK Space Agency, the Kaïros’ We Explore catamaran sailed smarter, safer, and more sustainably on its journey to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.

This is not static noise

Starbursting centre

Completing the construction of Plato’s spacecraft

In September, mission controllers at ESA's mission control centre started a major simulations exercise to ensure that the next Copernicus Sentinel Earth Observation mission, Sentinel-6B, safely navigates its first days in space.