THE LAUNCH PAD
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The European Space Agency (ESA) is doubling down on its commitment to fostering Europe’s commercial launch sector, announcing an additional €44.22 million ($46.7 million) in funding for four launch vehicle startups. The funding, part of ESA’s “Boost!” program, aims to advance the testing of launch vehicles from HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, Orbex, and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA).
Preparations are underway for Ariane 6's second flight and inaugural commercial mission, which will now launch no earlier than mid-February. Originally scheduled for December, the mission has been delayed to the first quarter of 2025 due to ongoing preparations and adjustments.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted approval for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 to proceed with the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera asteroid mission, though other launches remain grounded for now.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has unveiled plans to expand its operations in the United Kingdom, coinciding with the UK government's announcement of £2.1 million ($2.7 million) in funding to address skills gaps in the space industry.
The amount of frost represents approximately 150,000 tonnes of water cycling between the surface and atmosphere daily during the cold seasons, equivalent to about 60 Olympic swimming pools.
In an ambitious leap for satellite technology and Earth observation, the European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch Φsat-2 (pronounced phisat-2), a 6U cubesat that exemplifies the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into space missions.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and space infrastructure company Vast have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore potential collaborations on commercial space stations.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a successful test firing of a redesigned solid rocket motor for its Vega C rocket, marking a significant step towards resuming launches by the end of the year.
A dozen countries have officially signed the European Space Agency's (ESA) Zero Debris Charter, a significant step toward mitigating space debris.
ESA has announced the selection of Thales Alenia Space and The Exploration Company for study contracts valued at approximately 25 million euros ($27 million) each.
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