Thales Alenia Space

By Robert Wall
The Ariane 6’s second flight, mission VA263, took off at 11:24 a.m. ET March 6 from the European spaceport at French Guiana.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The demonstration, under project HydRON—for High-Throughput Optical Space Network—builds on studies Thales Alenia Space led and completed in 2023.
Satellites

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost is set to undergo installation and testing of valves and hatches, leak checks and integration of external structures.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
Thales Alenia Space says it will build the Thor 8 communication satellite for Norway.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
ESA has signed an $897 million contract with Thales Alenia Space for the manufacturer to deliver cargo to the lunar surface under ESA’s Argonaut Mission.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
ESA has signed a deal with Thales Alenia Space to build the EnVision spacecraft to explore Venus from its inner core to upper atmosphere, the company said.
Space Exploration

By Thierry Dubois
ESA scientists say liquid water may not yet have been discovered on another planet because observation has not focused long enough on a given star.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
Thales Alenia Space and Hispasat have linked up to develop a payload that can enable more secure ways to pass data using quantum key distribution.
Satellites

By Thierry Dubois
So far codenamed L4, the undertaking will include flybys and culminate with a landing on the icy moon Enceladus.
Space Exploration

By Thierry Dubois
ESA is prepping for launch of the Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars (Plato) mission, with the telescope to lift off on an Ariane 62 late next year.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
European officials plan to move quickly to put on contract risk reduction efforts for the IRIS² satellite communications program to mature critical tech.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
The Exploration Company, which is working on an ESA cargo return capsule, says it has closed a $160 million Series B funding round.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
From project financing to launcher and exploration initiatives, the region is devising an agenda to stay in the global space race.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Irene Klotz, Robert Wall
A number of initiatives were disclosed, but the talk of the show was SpaceX’s Starship booster catch, which happened just ahead of the IAC opening.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
Reaching the Moon to do something useful there involves preparation—which is now underway as agencies and companies aim to return humans to the lunar surface.
Space Exploration

By Robert Wall
The total size of the constellation is now 13 spacecraft.
Satellites

By Robert Wall
Airbus has embarked on a cost-containment effort and a mid-term competitiveness plan as part of its effort to turn around its struggling space business.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
Leonardo is talking to Airbus and Thales about linking their satellite manufacturing businesses, officials say—which could help the companies to deal with slow demand.
Farnborough Airshow

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

By Robert Wall
The ESA has awarded The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space separate contracts to continue work to develop low-Earth-orbit cargo return services.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
The U.S. will contribute the launch service, aerobraking engines and radioisotope heater units.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
ESA has awarded Thales Alenia Space a contract for the development of the Mars Entry, Descent and Landing Module of the ExoMars 2028 mission.
Space

By Tony Osborne
Officially forming on March 12, Leonardo's space business becomes one of five business areas representing each of the warfighting domains: land, air, sea, cyber and space.
Commercial Space

By Garrett Reim
D-Orbit, a space tug startup, has raised a €100 million ($109.7 million) Series C round.
Commercial Space

By Graham Warwick
Over 50 years, GPS has evolved and inspired the development of similar systems by other nations.
Space