European Space Agency

By Vivienne Machi
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:56 a.m. Pacific time from Space Launch Complex 4E.
Operations & Safety

By Mark Carreau
Jezero Crater is a 28-mi.-wide depression that was caused by an asteroid impact more than 4 billion years ago.
Space

By Mark Carreau
NASA must document efforts to address the greater-than-planned mass of the first two modules for its lunar-orbiting human-tended Gateway, says GAO auditors.
Space

By Mark Carreau
Northrop Grumman’s 21st NASA contracted International Space Station (ISS) Cygnus resupply mission is planned for an Aug. 3 launch.
Defense

By Robert Wall
Arianespace aims to launch the Sentinel-2C Copernicus satellite on Sept. 3 in what would be the final mission for a Vega rocket before the shift to the Vega C.
Defense

By Robert Wall
Europe is pressing ahead with the second Ariane 6 launch, even as program officials continue to assess an upper-stage glitch during the rocket’s first flight.
Space

By Irene Klotz
“This rock could potentially be very important,” says Ken Farley, Perseverance project scientist.
Space

By Mark Carreau
Previously a British Army Air Corps officer and test pilot, Peake is a veteran of a Russian Soyuz-launched 186-day mission to the International Space Station.
Space

By Robert Wall
ESA has given the provisional go-ahead for a mission to fly by the Apophis asteroid in 2029 as part of planetary defense, with NASA also sending Osiris-Apex.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
Launch service provider Arianespace’s order backlog totals 29 missions, with the next being planned for December.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
The first Ariane 6 medium- to heavy-lift launcher placed payloads into orbit in its debut flight July 9.
Space

By Robert Wall
Germany’s Tesat-Spacecom said it has secured a European Space Agency (ESA) project to deliver a cubesat to test 6G telecommunications technology.
Commercial Space

By Robert Wall
The scheduled July 9 launch kicks off a new era in European space operations.
Space

By Mark Carreau
NASA was once again forced to postpone an International Space Station spacewalk when lead astronaut Tracy Dyson experienced a water leak in her spacesuit.
Space

By Robert Wall
The Ariane 6 rocket completed its wet-dress rehearsal test as European space officials work to ready their newest launcher for a July 9 inaugural mission.
Space

By Robert Wall
ESA expects an agreement between Arianespace and Avio to be completed soon for the Italian company to take over commercialization and operations of the Vega C.
Space

By Irene Klotz
Ed Stone was 36-year-old space scientist when NASA tapped him to lead the quest to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune with two Voyager spacecraft.
Space

By Garrett Reim
Private space station developer Vast Space has signed a cargo services agreement with The Exploration Co. of Munich.
Commercial Space

By Vivienne Machi
Kepler Communications says it has used optical inter-satellite links to transfer data between two systems in low-Earth orbit.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
Ariane 6 will undergo a wet dress rehearsal at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on June 18.
Space

By Irene Klotz
Out of 48 proposals for less-expensive, faster options for returning samples from Mars, NASA selected seven ideas from companies for 90-day study contracts.
Space

By Garrett Reim
The agreement will also look at ways European companies can supply subsystems and equipment for future space stations.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
The European Space Agency has set forth a specific launch date for the much delayed Ariane 6 launch vehicle of July 9.
Space

By Garrett Reim
The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Open Cosmos to build seven satellites for the Greek government for €60 million ($65.4 million).
Space

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Space