Agence spatiale européenne
The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to space exploration, with 22 member states. Founded in 1975, ESA shapes Europe's space capabilities, ensuring investments in space deliver benefits to European citizens, working across the entire space sector. ESA develops and operates Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications, and astronomy satellites and sends probes to explore the solar system, partnering with agencies like NASA, JAXA and commercial partners like Airbus. Key programs include the development of launch vehicles like Ariane and Vega, the Galileo satellite navigation system, and missions like Rosetta and BepiColombo.
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SmartSat signed a new agreement with the European Space Agency’s Φ-lab to collaborate on Earth Observation research.
constellr was one of three companies awarded a 5,000,000 EUR contract by the European Commission and the European Space Agency to supply thermal data to complement Copernicus observations.
The European Commission and the European Space Agency awarded Constellr a €5 million contract to supply thermal data for the Copernicus Earth-observation program.
In April 2023, Thales demonstrated offensive security capabilities at CYSAT by taking remote control of an ESA demonstration satellite as part of a security exercise.
Libre Space Foundation signed a contract worth 2,000,000 EUR with the European Space Agency for the PHASMA project.
Thales has worked with the European Space Agency on Galileo security for more than 20 years.
At ESA’s November 2022 ministerial meeting, member states approved plans for a two-satellite follow-on mission called Aeolus 2.
PhiSat-2 will host AI algorithms developed by European partners and can be reconfigured in orbit to test onboard AI applications developed through ESA Philab challenges.
MANTIS is the first satellite to be launched under the ESA InCubed program.
ESA will work with several European satellite manufacturers on a Zero Debris Charter under which signatories will commit by 2030 to deorbiting their satellites at end of life or hiring companies that provide active debris removal services.
ESA’s deep-space communication antennas and Goonhilly’s GHY-6 will track the spacecraft, determine their locations, transmit commands, and receive telemetry and scientific data for Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1.
Astroscale, ClearSpace, D-Orbit, and Telespazio collaborating with Thales Alenia Space received funding to mature their IOS concepts for presentation to the 2022 ESA Council at Ministerial level.
Goonhilly’s GHY-6 antenna will work alongside ESA’s Kourou antenna in French Guiana to support the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
ESA Preparation invited industry partners to outline their vision of Europe’s first In-Orbit Servicing mission to be launched as early as 2028.
The European Space Agency and the three manufacturing companies plan to complete the text of the Zero Debris Charter by the end of 2023.
ESA representatives indicated that discussions with SpaceX regarding the Euclid launch began in May of last year.
ESA originally planned to launch Euclid on a Soyuz rocket but switched to Falcon 9 due to the unavailability of the Soyuz vehicle.
ESA has indicated that they may launch Galileo satellites on Falcon 9 rockets, pending technical analyses and a security agreement with the EU.
The European Space Agency and satellite manufacturers Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space intend to develop a Zero Debris Charter to mitigate orbital debris.
ESA plans to move forward with a long-term strategy for European space access, considering commercial developments and new small launch vehicles.