The Avanti Screenmedia Group PLC (Avanti) have announced 120 million Euro deal with the European Space Agency (ESA) and EADS Astrium Limited for the construction and launch of the HYLAS (Highly Flexible Satellite) communication satellite. Set to be launched in late 2008, the spacecraft will aim to complete full HDTV and broadband internet coverage for [...]

The European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft Venus Express has successfully entered the orbit of Earth’s neighbouring planet, following a 400 million kilometre journey. After a 50-minute orbit insertion manoeuvre burn, the probe reduced its relative velocity toward the planet from 29,000 to about 25,000 km/h – and was captured by its gravity field of Venus.

Arianespace have launched their Ariane 5 ECA, on the fourth attempt, carrying two telecommunication satellites into separate orbits. The launch countdown still had a few problems with the software integration between the launch pad and the Ariane 5 ECA, but the vehicle finally lifted off at 22:34 UTC, as it rose into cloud in a [...]

At the latest meeting of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Earth Observation Programme Board, ESA today received the green light from its Member States to build and launch a CryoSat recovery mission, CryoSat-2. The launch of the CryoSat spacecraft was aborted on October 8, 2005 due to a malfunction of its Rockot launcher, which resulted [...]

The European Space Agency (ESA) have successfully tested a new engine, called the Dual-Stage 4-Grid (DS4G) ion thruster, claimed to be a jump forward in the form of electric propulsion which accelerates a beam of positively charged particles (ions) as propulsion using an electric field. The new engine is ten times more fuel efficient than [...]

The ministers from the 17 ESA Member States have decided to go ahead with the core programme of the European Space Exploration programme Aurora and its first robotic exploration mission to Mars, called ExoMars. Scheduled to be launched from Kourou to Mars in 2011, the ExoMars mission will deploy a highly mobile rover with an [...]

European Space Agency (ESA) president Jean Jacques Dordain has stated that Russia’s continued role in the development of the International Space Station (ISS) is crucial – as the United States continues to move away from commitments as they move their focus back to the Moon. The Americans are looking at a maximum of 18 more [...]

The ESA Hexapod, an external payload pointing system, has reached the end of its development phase with the completion of the Flight Acceptance Review at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC, in Noordwijk the Netherlands. The meeting was attended by representatives of ESA, NASA and Alenia Spazio, ESA’s Prime Contractor in the design [...]

A decree issued by the Venezuelan government has established the Foundation for the Venezuelan Space Center – which could eventually prove to be a rival spaceport option for the European Space Agency (ESA) facility at Kourou, French Guyane. The new agency will be tasked with laying the foundations for the Space Center – with the [...]

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 G will be in action on December 21, following official clearance to go ahead with the launch of the Meteosat Second Generation spacecraft (MSG-2) – Europe’s newest meteorological satellite. The go-head was granted after engineers confirmed the November 16 launch of an Ariane 5 ECA on Flight 167 went to plan, with [...]

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 ECA has successfully launched from ESA’s Kourou spaceport in French Guiana – finally lifting off after being delayed by problems with the launch pad – which were resolved, allowing for tonight’s launch of two satellites. After the rolling out of the Kourou assembly building yesterday morning, officials were confident they will finally [...]

The European Space Agency (ESA) is to make a presentation to potential customers interested in launching payloads on their new Vega launch vehicle. The 30 meter tall rocket is set for its qualification launch at the end of 2007 – targeting a market of micro and mini satellites of between 200 to 600 kg into [...]

Arianespace have been forced to delay the launch of two telecommunications satellites on board their Ariane 5-ECA vehicle, due to a problem at the launch pad. The launch was due to take place on November 10, but was delayed two days after a launch readiness review. A third attempt will take place on Sunday.

The European Space Agency have launched Venus Express at 04:33 CET by a Soyuz-Fregat rocket, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazahkstan. The spacecraft is the first mission to Venus, our closest neighbour, for 15 years – and will help study the effects of global warming.

The European Space Agency (ESA) Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) spaceship should be ready to support International Space Station supply missions in 2007, according to ATV Project Manager John Ellwood. Despite problems with integration issues, the vehicle is 98 percent complete. The ATV is the most complex spaceship ever developed by Europe.

Earth’s “evil twin” will be the focus of Europe’s next £150m mission to space. Scientists from the European Space Agency are preparing to launch the Venus Express craft on a five month quest. The journey is the first to Venus, our closest neighbour, for 15 years and will help study the effects of global warming.

Ariane 5 has scored a double success with Syracuse 3A and Galaxy 15 with another on-schedule launch, which orbited a dual payload consisting of a military communications satellite and a multi-mission civilian relay platform. The Ariane 5 Generic launcher lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at the 7:32 p.m. opening of its launch [...]

The European Space Agency (ESA) launched their Cryosat satellite on top of a converted SS-19 intercontinental ballistic missile from Russia on Saturday – but minutes into the launch the rocket failed. Cryosat has been six years in the making and will help assess climate change data by orbiting the Earth’s poles and taking measurements of [...]

Based on the recommendations of asteroid experts, ESA has selected two target asteroids for its Near-Earth Object deflecting mission, Don Quijote. Don Quijote is an asteroid-deflecting mission currently under study by ESA’s Advanced Concepts Team (ACT).