ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter EU–(ENEWSPF)–3 February 2014. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter module consisting of the spacecraft structure, thermal control and propulsion systems was handed over by OHB System to Thales Alenia Space France at a ceremony held in Bremen, Germany, today. The delivery marks an important step in the[Read More…]
Space
Getting Ready for Asteroids
Asteroids passing Earth EU–(ENEWSPF)–31 January 2014. With a mandate from the UN, ESA and other space agencies from around the world are about to establish a high-level group to help coordinate global response should a threatening asteroid ever be found heading towards Earth. For the first time, national space agencies[Read More…]
Herschel Discoversw Water Vapour Around Dwarf Planet Ceres
Artist’s impression of Ceres EU–(ENEWSPF)–23 January 2014. ESA’s Herschel space observatory has discovered water vapour around Ceres, the first unambiguous detection of water vapour around an object in the asteroid belt. With a diameter of 950 km, Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt, which lies between the[Read More…]
ESA’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Wakes Up From Deep Space Hibernation
Rosetta Wake-up signal EU–(ENEWSPF)–20 January 2014. It was a fairy-tale ending to a tense chapter in the story of the Rosetta space mission this evening as ESA heard from its distant spacecraft for the first time in 31 months. Rosetta is chasing down Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, where it will become the[Read More…]
‘Standing on a Comet’: Rosetta Mission Will Contribute to Space Weather Research
An artist’s interpretation of the Rosetta orbiter deploying the Philae lander to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Image credit: J. Huart, ESA ANN ARBOR–(ENEWSPF)–January 16, 2014. A comet-bound spacecraft that’s been in sleep mode for more than two years is scheduled to wake up on the morning of Jan. 20—beginning the home stretch[Read More…]
An Astronaut’s Rhythm
EU–(ENEWSPF)–6 January 2014. Anyone who has flown long distances will be familiar with the jetlag that comes with travelling across time zones. Our body clocks need time to adjust to different daylight times as high-fliers and frequent travellers know all too well. But what about astronauts, the highest fliers of[Read More…]
Wall-crawling Gecko Robots Can Stick in Space Too
‘Abigaille’ wall-crawler robot EU–(ENEWSPF)–2 January 2014. Climbing robots that mimic the stickiness of gecko lizard feet could work in space as well as on Earth, ESA has shown, raising the prospect of hull-crawling automatons tending future spacecraft. Robots crawling across spacecraft surfaces are a common sight in science fiction films[Read More…]
Astronauts Work to Install Ammonia Pump Module on Second Spacewalk
Astronaut Mike Hopkins works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk Dec. 24. Image Credit: NASA TV HOUSTON–(ENEWSPF)–December 24, 2013. Spacewalkers Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins are conducting a second spacewalk to install a spare ammonia pump module. The duo switched their spacesuits to battery power at 6:53 a.m.[Read More…]
Liftoff for ESA’s Billion-star Surveyor
Gaia liftoff EU–(ENEWSPF)–19 December 2013. ESA PR 44-2013: ESA’s Gaia mission blasted off this morning on a Soyuz rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on its exciting mission to study a billion suns. Gaia is destined to create the most accurate map yet of the Milky Way. By[Read More…]
Mission Control Ready for Gaia Launch
Gaia launch EU–(ENEWSPF)–17 December 2013. Shortly after a powerful Soyuz launcher lofts Gaia, ESA’s new star mapper, into space on Thursday, teams on the ground will establish initial radio contact. Even then, tension will run high in ESA’s mission control as Gaia must still perform a critical automatic sequence. An[Read More…]
