Rethinking cosmology: Universe expansion may not be uniform
Astronomers have assumed for decades that the Universe is expanding at the same rate in all directions. A new study based on data from ESA’s XMM-Newton, NASA’s Chandra and the German-led ROSAT X-ray observatories suggests this key premise of...
CryoSat still cool at 10
Today marks 10 years since a Dnepr rocket blasted off from an underground silo in the remote desert steppe of Kazakhstan, launching one of ESA’s most remarkable Earth-observing satellites into orbit. Tucked safely within the rocket fairing,...
Bartolomeo connected to Columbus
Image: Bartolomeo connected to Columbus
Unusual ozone hole opens over the Arctic
Scientists using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite have noticed a strong reduction of ozone concentrations over the Arctic. Unusual atmospheric conditions, including freezing temperatures in the stratosphere, have led ozone levels...
Spot BepiColombo during its ‘goodbye flyby’
On 10 April, BepiColombo will be visible to amateur and professional astronomers during its first – and only – Earth flyby, as the spacecraft makes its way to Mercury, the innermost planet of the Solar System. The best place to spot it is the...
Why is BepiColombo back?
BepiColombo is on its way to Mercury, but for some reason that brings it back to Earth.
Week in images: 30 March - 3 April 2020
Week in images: 30 March - 3 April 2020 Discover our week through the lens
Choosing rocks on Mars to bring to Earth
If you could bring something back from Mars to Earth, what would you choose? This question is becoming reality, as ESA opens a call for scientists to join a NASA team working to determine which martian samples should be collected and stored by...
Earth from Space: Finistère
Video: 00:00:00 In this week's edition of the Earth from Space programme, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Finistère – a French department in the west of Brittany.See also Finistère, France to...
Finistère, France
Image: The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Finistère – a French department in the west of Brittany.
Professor Reimar Lüst (1923-2020)
Professor Reimar Lüst, one of Europe’s great space pioneers, passed away on 31 March 2020 aged 97. Prof. Lüst was ESA’s third Director General, serving from 1984 until 1990, and was one of the greatest visionaries behind the initiation and...
COVID-19: how can satellites help?
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has virtually paralysed daily life as we know it. Even when the spread of this highly infectious disease has been stemmed, the world will face huge challenges getting back to normal. To help support experts...
Disinfection for planetary protection
Image: Disinfection for planetary protection
Sterilisation for planetary protection
Image: Sterilisation for planetary protection
Space missions return to science
After a brief shutdown of science instruments and a period in ‘safe standby’, ESA’s planetary missions are getting back to what they do best, gathering science data from around the Solar System.
Satellites map the global flow of oil
Demand for oil has collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic just as supply is about to strengthen because of a dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia. As a result, oil prices have sunk to levels not seen since 2002.As storage tanks around...
Submissions open for Copernicus Masters 2020
Awarding innovative solutions, developments and ideas that use Earth observation data to tackle challenges faced by business and society, the Copernicus Masters 2020 competition is now open for submissions.
James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror unfolded
Image: Deployment test of James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror
Read about ESA's activities in this interactive publication
Read about ESA's activities in this interactive publication