Tag: ESA

Counting the Costs of International Space Projects

Counting the Costs of International Space Projects

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. As U.S. space pundits await signals over what direction NASA’s policy will take under the Trump Administration, this photo of the European Space Agency’s general meeting should serve as reminder of some of the downsides of increased international participation in large space projects. Exercising leadership and […]

Posted in: NASA, Trump
Mars Eats Another One: Europe’s Schiaparelli Lander Likely Destroyed

Mars Eats Another One: Europe’s Schiaparelli Lander Likely Destroyed

It is a saying we get tired of hearing: “space is hard.” Most often it a reflection of the cold reality of every aspect of space, but it can also be an excuse to cover questionable decisions or poor engineering. Mars has a way of pushing for answers on both. On Wednesday, the European Space […]

Posted in: Mars
After NASA Backs Out, Russia’s Proton Lofts ExoMars to the Red Planet (Update)

After NASA Backs Out, Russia’s Proton Lofts ExoMars to the Red Planet (Update)

Update: Europe’s Exo-Mars mission is successfully on its way to the Red Planet following successful completion of all four burns of the Briz-M and stage separation which took place at 20:13 GMT. At 21:29 GMT, ESA’s control center in Darmstadt, Germany received signal confirmation that spacecraft is in good health and the solar wings have unfolded. […]

Posted in: Mars
British Astronaut Launches to ISS, Great Britain Launches a Space Policy

British Astronaut Launches to ISS, Great Britain Launches a Space Policy

At 6:03 AM EST this morning, a Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying the TMA-19 crew to the International Space Station. The crew, as is often the case, was a microcosm of the ISS partnership itself, consisting of astronauts from the U.S. and European Union, as well as the one […]

Posted in: British Space
Philae Phones Home

Philae Phones Home

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko /  Image credit ESA The weekend brought great news for the European Space Agency’s Rosetta/Philae mission. From ESA’s Rosetta blog: “Rosetta’s lander Philae is out of hibernation! The signals were received at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt at 22:28 CEST on 13 June. More than 300 data packets have been analysed […]

Posted in: Space Science
Europe’s IXV Demonstrator Launches, Lands, What Next?

Europe’s IXV Demonstrator Launches, Lands, What Next?

Europe’s IXV, or Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle, a small re-entry test vehicle, launched this morning aboard a Vega booster from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana. Liftoff, in what was the fourth flight of the three stage solid fueled Vega small launch vehicle, occurred at 13:30 GMT.   After reaching a maximum altitude of 412 […]

Posted in: Space Planes
Chasing SpaceX, Europe Endorses Ariane 6

Chasing SpaceX, Europe Endorses Ariane 6

This is not how you design a rocket : ESA Ministerial Meeting Seeking a defense against the market disruption being wrought by SpaceX and its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters, European space ministers voted yesterday to formally endorse the Ariane 6 project. The move came after Germany dropped its long running call to proceed […]

Philae Falls Silent : Was a Landing Success or Failure?

Philae Falls Silent : Was a Landing Success or Failure?

Estimate of Philae’s approximate orientation imposed over image taken shortly after landing. Image Credit : ESA Mission Update ESA’s Rosetta Blog, Comments follow: “With its batteries depleted and not enough sunlight available to recharge, Philae has fallen into ‘idle mode’ for a potentially long silence. In this mode, all instruments and most systems on board […]

Posted in: Space Science
Update: We’re Down! Go Rosetta! Go Philae!

Update: We’re Down! Go Rosetta! Go Philae!

Update: At 10:03 AM CST, the European Space Agency Rosetta control room erupted in hugs, cheers, and a cry of “We’re down! We’re down!” Original Story The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission is on track to attempt a historic first soft landing on a comet on Wednesday.  After separating from the the Rosetta spacecraft overnight, […]

Posted in: Space Science
Viewing National Space Investments From a NewSpace Perspective

Viewing National Space Investments From a NewSpace Perspective

Vostochny Under Construction. Image Credit The Moscow Times One question which defines the NewSpace movement, is which individuals, companies, or governments are investing in technologies or systems which have the capacity to significantly reduce the cost of access to space. In the case of the latter, governments, all too often it is just as easy […]

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