Category Archives: ESA / Europe

Friday / 1 Sep 2023

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Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation to Continue Advancing Technology for Space and Moon as ARQUIMEA Subsidiary

Optical space system provider Ecliptic Enterprises of Pasadena, California to be acquired by technology developer ARQUIMEA – headquartered in Spain, with operations in Canary Islands, Singapore and USA employing 500+; Ecliptic has received a US$5M cash infusion to support design of radiation hardened payloads for space and lunar applications including high-res multispectral imagers for Earth observation and routers for use on and around Moon; ARQUIMEA USA CEO Jesus Delgado tells Parabolic Arc he expects to quickly grow Ecliptic revenue from $10M to $50M

Credits: Ecliptic Enterprises, ARQUIMEA

Tuesday / 6 June 2023

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European Space Agency Director General Working to Achieve Human Launch Capability, Crewed Moon Landings

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher makes clear his desire for Europe to achieve independent space capabilities with parity to China, USA, India including human launch / Moon landings in comments given to Financial Times, host of Investing in Space conference in London 5-6 June; Ariane 6 making inaugural launch NET 2024 could serve as basis for human-rated launch system, commercial crew-style model also being considered; ESA member nations to vote on funding proposals at November Space Summit in Seville, Spain – members currently have agreed to ~ EUR€16.9B / 3 year funding (US$18.1B)

Credits: ESA, Arianespace

Friday / 2 Dec 2022

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Artemis 1 Orion Spacecraft Departing Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit for Moon Flyby, Earth Return and Reentry

Orion headed back toward Moon following 105-second main engine trajectory maneuver, a 4-day leg of Artemis 1 journey which has seen the furthest travel of any human-rated vessel (aside from Apollo 10 ascent module in heliocentric disposal orbit) at 432,210-km from Earth; Final powered lunar flyby set to occur at 8:43 PST on 5 Dec, sending Orion on a 6-day trip towards Earth; 11 Dec reentry at 9:40 to be fastest (39,429 kph / Mach 32) and hottest (2,760°C) to date, first to employ ‘skip’ technique allowing precision splashdown and lowered g-forces

 Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 8 Nov 2022

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MVA Symposium 2022 Opens with Total Lunar Eclipse, Egalitarian Considerations, on USA Election Day

Advancing Cislunar development with best practices for the benefit of all 8,000,000,000 is the business of the Moon Village Association 6th annual Workshop & Symposium 8-10 Nov at the LAX Sheraton Gateway; inaugurated early 8 Nov by a reddish Moon total eclipse amidst Galaxy Stars, the MVA WS&S will introduce the Lunar Commerce Portfolio, well timed for addressing the perennial question “Who Owns the Moon” and exploring Moon South Pole development, while Republicans and Democrats, Libertarians and Egalitarians, amongst others, determine USA policy futures

Pictured: Giuseppe Reibaldi, John Mankins, Guo Linli, P. Sreekumar; Credits: MVA, NASA, Twitter

Tuesday / 27 Sep 2022

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ESA to Send 2 Astronauts to Lunar Gateway, 1 to Moon Surface with NASA / Artemis Program by End of NLT 2029

Joint Statement on Lunar Cooperation Activities, signed by ESA Director Aschbacher / NASA Administrator Nelson, outlines Europe contributions – Service Module for Orion, I-HAB and ESPRIT modules for Gateway; At least 3 seats for ESA Astronauts secured in exchange: 2 Astronauts on orbital missions, likely Artemis 4 (NET 2027) & Artemis 5 (NET 2028), 1 on later surface mission TBD; Candidates for Europe Moon Astronauts include Samantha Cristoforetti (IT), Thomas Pesquet (FR), Tim Peake (UK), Alexander Gerst (DE), Matthias Maurer (DE), Luca Parmitano (IT) and Andreas Mogensen (DK)

Pictured (L-R): ESA Director Josef Aschbacher, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson; Credits: ESA, NASA, Twitter

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 May 2022

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20 July International Moon Day Group (IMD-G) Seeking Event Participation, Logo Submissions

IMD-G, a division of Moon Village Association, is soliciting global event organizers who wish to celebrate UN-declared International Moon Day on 20 July with theme Lunar Exploration Coordination & Sustainability; Moon observing parties, astronaut speaking engagements, lunar cultural webinars, entrepreneur contests and Moon movie parties are suggested and may be livestreamed on IMD YouTube channel on 20 July 2022 – proposals due 1 June; International Moon Day also running Logo Competition with €1000 prize, entries due 31 May

Pictured: IMD-G members (L-R) Nasr Al-Sahhaf, Austeja Jurjonaite, Ariann Duncan, Bernadette Detera; Credits: MVA, UN, XTEND;
 

Friday / 1 April 2022

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ISRO Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission Will Be Supported by ESA Global Deep Space Communication Network

On track for Q3 landing near Moon South Pole (70.9°S), Chandrayaan-3 may be the first India space mission to take advantage of ESA-operated 35-m (Australia, Argentina, Spain) and 15-m (French Guiana) Estrack antennae as well as 32-m commercial Goonhilly in England, all coordinated by 24/7/365 European Space Operations Centre (Germany); Aditya-L1 solar observatory and Gaganyaan human spaceflight will also utilize Estrack ground stations, as has CNSA during Chang’e mission sequence; In-kind use of ISRO ground stations will be available for future ESA deep space activities

 

Credits: ISRO, ESA

Friday / 17 September 2021

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SSTL Lunar Pathfinder Data Relay to Support ESA Cis-Lunar Activity NET 2024

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) to provide communications spacecraft operating on S, X and UHF frequency bands from elliptical lunar orbit, ESA is first major customer under US$23.5M / 5 year agreement formalized at Royal Society in London as launch-for-service exchange with NASA being pursued; David Parker of ESA says “robust & fast communications… will be available to all” in signing release statement; Pathfinder craft will also carry GNSS-extension experiment, radiation detector and retro-reflector

 

Pictured (clockwise from TL): Surrey Executive Chairman Sir Martin Sweeting, UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway, ESA Director Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director of Human & Robotic Exploration David Parker, Surrey Managing Director Phil Brownnett; Credits: SSTL

Tuesday / 25 May 2021

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ESA Working To Establish Commercial Communication / Navigation Infrastructure In Cislunar Space

Recognizing Inevitable Data Needs Of The Growing Lunar Movement, ESA Formulating Design Of Interoperable Network Of Satellites Around Moon As Project Moonlight With Pair Of Industry Consortiums Led By SSTL (UK) And Telespazio (Italy); Envisioned Constellation To Relay Communications / Telemetry Data To / From Surfaces Of Earth And Moon Via Standard Protocols: Initially Through Single Intermediary, SSTL-Built Lunar Pathfinder Aiming For 2024 Launch To MSP-Focused Elliptical Orbit, Utilizing Earth Orbit-Based Satnav Signals, S-band, UHF, X-band; Later Incorporating Gateway And Other Ventures

Credits: ESA, SSTL,Telespazio

Friday / 26 Feb 2021

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2 Lunar Cave Exploration SysNova Study Concepts To Be Developed By ESA Concurrent Design Facility

ESA Believes Lava Tube ‘Skylight’ Openings May Offer Valuable Science, Resource And Habitation Opportunities; 5 Studies Based On 3 Mission Scenarios (Surface Evaluation, Probe Lowering And Autonomous Rover) Considered – Winning Ideas From University Of Würzburg And University Of Oviedo-led Team Both Focused On Probing Entrance Of 65x90x40m Marius Hill Cavity – Daedalus Spherical LIDAR / Stereo Camera With Internal Locomotion And Crane Robot Rover Swarm Deployer With Wireless Power / Communications; Mission Concepts To Be Integrated With 2027 European Large Logistics Lander Under Development And Proposed Moonlight Cislunar Constellation

 Credits: ESA, University of Würzburg, University of Oviedo, University of Vigo, Alén Space