Call for Media: press conference with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli ESA PR 2010-20 ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli will travel to the International Space Station in December on a six-month mission, serving as flight engineer for Expeditions 26 and 27. This will be the third long-duration mission by a European astronaut on the Station.
Water mission reveals insight into Amazon plume ESA's SMOS water mission has taken another step forward by demonstrating that it will lead to a better understanding of ocean circulation. Using preliminary data, scientists can clearly see how surface currents affect the 'Amazon plume' in the open sea.
Earth observation aids disaster relief in Pakistan Devastating around a third of the country, it is estimated that the floods in Pakistan have affected up to 20 million people. As part of the effort to support humanitarian relief, satellite data are being used to generate essential maps of the flooded areas.
Recipe for water: just add starlight ESA's Herschel infrared space observatory has discovered that ultraviolet starlight is the key ingredient for making water in space. It is the only explanation for why a dying star is surrounded by a gigantic cloud of hot water vapour.
Cluster turns the invisible into the visible Cluster has spent a decade revealing previously hidden interactions between the Sun and Earth. Its studies have uncovered secrets of the aurora, solar storms, and given us insight into fundamental processes that occur across the Universe. And there is more work to do.
Fly your experiment to the edge of space! ESA is inviting students to propose experiments to fly on sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons. The winning teams will have the opportunity to design and build an experiment for the BEXUS balloons or the REXUS rockets.
Satellite navigation steers unmanned micro-planes An unmanned aircraft system guided by satnav has been developed within ESA's Business Incubation Centre to provide rapid monitoring of land areas and disaster zones. The planes have already helped Spanish farmers in Andalusia to fight land erosion.
Mars's mysterious elongated crater Orcus Patera is an enigmatic elliptical depression near Mars's equator, in the eastern hemisphere of the planet. Located between the volcanoes of Elysium Mons and Olympus Mons, its formation remains a mystery.
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer arrives at launch site One of the most complex space scientific instruments ever built, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, escorted by astronauts who will fly with it on the Space Shuttle in February 2011.
ISS ship-tracker operating alongside Norwegian satellite Nearing the end of its third month of continuous operation, the International Space Station's ship-tracking experiment has experienced a marked increase in data quality. Now it operates along with a dedicated satellite carrying the same receiver.
Venture capital fund backs business opportunities from space Two start-up companies offering a communication handset for outdoor enthusiasts and a computer game to compete live with real racing drivers, both made possible thanks to space technology, are the first to receive funds from ESA's new Open Sky Technologies Fund.
Oil and gas exploration benefit from space tech A special kind of titanium and a manufacturing technique used to build the Ariane 5 rocket could become the next successful spin-offs from Europe's space programme, benefiting the oil and gas industry.
Greenland glacier gives birth to giant iceberg Envisat has been observing a rare event in the Arctic since early August - a giant iceberg breaking off the Petermann glacier in North-West Greenland.
MetOp-B module passes crucial vacuum test The Payload Module of ESA's latest meteorological satellite, MetOp-B, has been hauled out of the largest vacuum chamber in Europe: its ability to operate in the harsh conditions of space has been proved.
Instruments selected for Mars ESA PR-17 2010 ESA and NASA have selected the scientific instruments for their first joint Mars mission. Scheduled for 2016, it will study the chemical makeup of the martian atmosphere, including methane. Discovered in 2003, methane could point to life on the Red Planet.
EC Vice-President Tajani visits ESA's Centre for Earth Observation As a strong supporter of the benefits that space industry can bring to Europe, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Antonio Tajani, visited ESA's ESRIN establishment in Italy today.
Space Day at Farnborough air show Space helping to rebuild the economy and drive economic growth were the
central themes of Space Day at the Farnborough air show on Wednesday.
Scientists receive first CryoSat-2 data A better understanding of how Earth's ice fields are changing has come another step closer as the first data from ESA's ice mission are released to selected scientists around the world for fine-tuning.
First day of Farnborough air show The Farnborough International Air Show opened to blue skies and trade visitors today. Highlights included innovative passenger aircraft, a supersonic car and a dedicated Space Zone showcasing space technology and its importance to the world.
Call for Media: ESA at Farnborough air show, 19–25 July ESA PR-16 2010: ESA, together with the UK Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and industry, will be exhibiting in a dedicated Space Zone at the Farnborough International Air Show, 19–25 July.
18:00-18:45 CEST - Media event plus live updates from Rosetta control room
23:00-23:45 CEST - Presentation of first images
Moderated programme includes interviews with mission scientists, Rosetta operations engineers and senior ESA managers.
Rosetta triumphs at asteroid Lutetia Asteroid Lutetia has been revealed as a battered world of many craters. ESA's Rosetta mission has returned the first close-up images of the asteroid showing it is most probably a primitive survivor from the violent birth of the Solar System.
Survival training for astronauts At the end of June, ESA's six astronaut candidates were thrown out of a helicopter, left to drift at sea and abandoned under the hot Mediterranean sun. Fortunately, their survival training allowed them to cope with the tough situations.
Rosetta lines up for spectacular asteroid flyby On 10 July, ESA's Rosetta will fly past 21 Lutetia, the largest asteroid ever visited by a satellite. After weeks of manoeuvres and a challenging optical navigation campaign, Rosetta is perfectly lined up to skim by at 3162 km at 18:10 CEST.
Space expertise helps Expo visitors A start-up company supported by ESA's Business Incubation Centre has developed a new mobile phone indoor navigation system, which will soon help the six million annual visitors find their way around at the largest exhibition centre in Paris.
Planck unveils the Universe – now and then ESA PR-15 2010 ESA's Planck mission has delivered its first all-sky image. It not only provides new insight into the way stars and galaxies form but also tells us how the Universe itself came to life after the Big Bang.
CryoSat-2 exceeding expectations Today, participants at the Living Planet Symposium have been hearing about ESA's most recently launched mission, CryoSat-2. In orbit for almost three months, the satellite is in excellent health with scientists very encouraged by the first ice-thickness data presented at the symposium.
Call for Media: Rosetta flyby of asteroid Lutetia on 10 July ESA PR-14 2010: The media are invited to ESA's Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, to follow Rosetta's encounter with asteroid Lutetia on 10 July, 18:00–23:00 CEST. The first images of the asteroid will be released before midnight, with experts available for interview.
SMOS shines at symposium Today, a focus at ESA's Living Planet Symposium is on the innovative SMOS mission, which recently became operational. Early results are proving very encouraging with its first observations due to be released in early July.
GOCE giving new insights into Earth's gravity The first global gravity model based on GOCE satellite data has been presented at ESA's Living Planet Symposium. ESA launched GOCE in March 2009 to map Earth's gravity with unprecedented accuracy and resolution.
Rocky mounds and a plateau on Mars When Mars Express set sail for the crater named after Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, it found a windblown plateau and mysterious rocky mounds nearby.
ESA's biggest scientific symposium gets underway More than 1200 scientists from around the world have gathered in Bergen, Norway, for ESA's week-long Living Planet Symposium to present their latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from observation satellites.
Wet era on early Mars was global Conditions favourable to life may once have existed all over Mars. Detailed studies of minerals found inside craters show that liquid water was widespread, not only in the southern highlands, but also beneath the northern plains.
Was Venus once a habitable planet? ESA's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth.
Hubble captures bubbles and baby stars The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captures a complex network of gas clouds and star clusters within our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This region of energetic star birth is one of the most active in the nearby Universe.
In this first video diary from the Mars500 crew, Diego Urbina takes us on tour inside the Mars500 facilities - see how the crew are living and working for the next 17 months in isolation.
Call for Media: ESA's Living Planet Symposium, Bergen, 28 June–2 July ESA PR 11-2010. The media are invited to ESA's largest scientific event of the year: the Living Planet Symposium, in Bergen, Norway. The symposium covers all areas of Earth observation, highlighting the results and ESA's planned missions, as well as bringing together the key scientists and decision-makers worldwide.
Rosetta's blind date with asteroid Lutetia ESA's comet-chaser Rosetta is heading for a blind date with asteroid Lutetia. Rosetta does not yet know what Lutetia looks like up-close but beautiful or otherwise the two will meet on 10 July.
Space Station keeps watch on world's sea traffic As the ISS circles Earth, it has begun tracking individual ships crossing the seas beneath. An experiment hosted by ESA's Columbus module is testing the viability of monitoring global traffic from the Station's orbit hundreds of kilometres up.
ESA astronauts at ILA in Berlin Ten past and present ESA astronauts will be at the ILA international aerospace show at Berlin's Schoenefeld on Friday 11 June. At the same time, ESA will continue its presence on its shared stand.
Doctor needed in Antarctica It's harsh, demanding, isolated and even hostile, but a unique place: Concordia research station in Antarctica. ESA is now looking for someone with medical training to join the next crew to overwinter in Concordia.
Hatch closed: 18-month Mars500 mission has begun Mars500, the first full-length simulated mission to Mars, started today in Moscow at 13:49 local time (11:49 CET), when the six-man crew entered their 'spacecraft' and the hatch was closed. The experiment will run until November next year.
Astronaut's eye view: Mars Express orbiting the Red Planet This video shows what future astronauts would see from their cockpit: Mars turning below as they sweep around the Red Planet. Last month, ESA's Mars Express snapped images every minute to create a unique video that loops through a complete orbit of Earth's gorgeous neighbour.
Experts gather as volcanic dust settles Following the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull volcano that spewed huge amounts of ash and grounded numerous flights, more than 50 experts from around the world gathered at a workshop organised by ESA and EUMETSAT to discuss what has been learned and identify future opportunities for volcanic ash monitoring.
ESA's space hazard programme profiled online A new section in the ESA web site highlights the Agency's growing activity related to the Space Situational Awareness programme. The full SSA system will protect Europe's citizens and satellite-based services by detecting space hazards.
Volcanic ash in Meridiani Planum Deposits of volcanic ash colour this view of the Meridiani Planum, as seen by the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera. They also give clues to the prevailing wind direction in this region of Mars.
Soyuz Consultation Committee sets inaugural launch for fourth quarter of 2010 The Soyuz Consultation Committee, comprising representatives of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES and Arianespace, met on Tuesday, 11 May in French Guiana. It confirmed that the inaugural launch of Soyuz from the Guiana Space Centre would take place during the fourth quarter of 2010.
ESA rewards glass industry space tech spin-off ESA's Space Spin-off Award for 2010 has been presented to Italian company Kentec for using space technology from the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory and the Hubble telescope in a machine vision system for the glass industry.
New navsat sensor improves water monitoring The start-up company Star2Earth, reared in the ESA Business Incubation Centre in the Netherlands, will improve electricity production from a hydroelectric plant on Lake Laja in Chile by using navigation satellite signals to measure water levels and wave heights.
Phobos flyby images Images from the recent flyby of Phobos, on 7 March 2010, are released today. The images show Mars' rocky moon in exquisite detail, with a resolution of just 4.4 metres per pixel. They show the proposed landing sites for the forthcoming Phobos-Grunt mission.
Phobos flyby success Mars Express encountered Phobos last night, smoothly skimming past at just 67 km, the closest any manmade object has ever approached Mars' enigmatic moon. The data collected could help unlock the origin of not just Phobos but other 'second generation' moons.
ESA chooses three scientific missions for further study Dark energy, habitable planets around other stars, and the mysterious nature of our own Sun, have been chosen by ESA as candidates for two medium-class missions to be launched no earlier than 2017.
Phobos flyby season starts again Today Mars Express began a series of flybys of Phobos, the largest moon of Mars. The campaign will reach its crescendo on 3 March, when the spacecraft will set a new record for the closest pass to Phobos, skimming the surface at just 50 km. The data collected could help untangle the origin of this mysterious moon.
Herschel readies itself for the Orion Nebula ESA's Herschel observatory is back to full operation following the reactivation of its HIFI instrument. HIFI, having been offline for 160 days while engineers investigated an unexpected problem in the electronic system, is now perfectly placed to resume its study of forming stars and planets.
Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Huygens' Titan touchdown Five years ago today, ESA's Huygens probe descended to the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Today planetary scientists from around the world have gathered in Barcelona to discuss the legacy of Huygens and to consider future Titan exploration missions.
Fifth anniversary of the landing on Titan Five years ago today ESA's Huygens probe
reached the upper layer of Titan's atmosphere and landed on the
surface after a parachute descent of 2 hours and 28 minutes. As part of the joint NASA/ESA/ASI mission to Saturn and its moons, the
Huygens probe was sent from the Cassini spacecraft to explore Titan,
Saturn's largest moon.
Swirling clouds over the South Pacific Rosetta's OSIRIS imaging system spotted an anticyclone over the South Pacific on the morning of 13 November. The images show the scene roughly as a human eye would see it.
Rosetta sees a living planet Images and data taken just before closest approach were downloaded this morning, and they show the lights of North America in the night and a glowing Southern Hemisphere.
Rosetta bound for outer Solar System after final Earth swingby This morning, mission controllers confirmed that ESA's comet chaser Rosetta had swung by Earth at 8:45 CET as planned, skimming past our planet to pick up a gravitational boost for an epic journey to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.
Rosetta darting across the night During the night of 12/13 November, scientists working at ESA's Optical Ground Station in Tenerife, Spain, conducted observations to view Rosetta as the satellite approached Earth.
First view of Earth as Rosetta approaches home This spectacular image of our home planet was captured by the OSIRIS instrument on ESA's Rosetta comet chaser earlier today as the spacecraft approached Earth for the third and final swingby. Closest approach is due at 08:45 CET, 13 November 2009. Follow Rosetta's progress at ESA's dedicated Rosetta site and via the Rosetta Blog.
ESA spacecraft may help unravel cosmic mystery When Europe's comet chaser Rosetta swings by Earth tomorrow for a critical gravity assist, tracking data will be collected to precisely measure the satellite's change in orbital energy. The results could help unravel a cosmic mystery that has stumped scientists for two decades.
Saturn's moon shows evidence of ammonia Data collected during two close flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus by Cassini add more fuel to the fire about the icy world containing sub-surface liquid water.
Cassini finding hints at ocean within Saturn's moon Enceladus European scientists on the joint NASA/ESA Cassini mission have detected, for the first time, sodium salts in ice grains of Saturn's E-ring, which is primarily replenished by material from the plumes of water vapour and ice grains emitted by Saturn's moon Enceladus. The detection of salty ice indicates that the little moon harbours a reservoir of liquid water, perhaps even an ocean, beneath its surface.
Start of Cassini's new mission The Cassini spacecraft has a new two-year mission that will address new questions and bring it closer to two of its most intriguing targets: Titan and Enceladus. On 30 June, Cassini completed its four-year prime mission and began its extended mission, which was approved in April this year.
Cassini's grand tour of Saturn extended The operations of the Cassini spacecraft, part of the international NASA/ ESA/ ASI Cassini-Huygens mission, have been extended by NASA by two years. The historic mission's stunning discoveries and images have revolutionised our knowledge of Saturn and its moons.
Cassini 'tastes' organic brew at Saturn's geyser moon The Cassini spacecraft tasted and sampled a surprising organic brew erupting in geyser-like fashion from Saturn's moon Enceladus during a close flyby on 12 March. Scientists are amazed that this tiny moon is so active, 'hot' and brimming with water vapour and organic chemicals.
Ocean may exist beneath Titan's crust Cassini has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings were made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation.
Saturn's moon Rhea may also have rings The Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of material orbiting Rhea, Saturn's second largest moon. This is the first time rings may have been found around a moon.
Discovery's return marks completion of Esperia Mission Space Shuttle Discovery landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida this evening at 19:01 CET (18:01 UT), completing one of the most complex assembly missions to the International Space Station to date, bringing back seven crew members, including ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli.
See the ISS and Discovery in the morning sky over Europe Early tomorrow morning there is a rare opportunity to see the Space Station flying in formation with Space Shuttle Discovery, homeward bound and due to land in Florida tomorrow evening.
Shuttle prepares to undock After saying their farewells to the ISS crew yesterday evening, the STS-120 crew is preparing to undock from the International Space Station at 11:32 CET (10:32 UT) this morning. Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to touchdown in Florida at 19:02 CET (18:02 UT) on Wednesday.
Fourth spacewalk to repair solar array Astronauts on board the International Space Station are preparing for a spacewalk to repair one of the Station's solar arrays. The fourth spacewalk of the STS-120 mission is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
Second radio link-up between Nespoli and Italian students The second amateur radio link-up between ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Italian students took place yesterday morning at around 8:33 CET (07:33 UT). This link-up continues the Amateur Radio on the ISS (ARISS) educational activity, which is part of the joint ESA-ASI programme of education activities for the Esperia mission.
Paolo Nespoli talks with the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano "Good morning Mr Nespoli and nice to see you too Commander Melroy [in English in the original]," that was how Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic, started the call with the ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and STS-120 Commander Pamela Melroy, on board the International Space Station.
Esperia Mission is extended by one day ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and his fellow STS-120 crew members will stay in space for one extra day. Space Shuttle Discovery is now scheduled to land on 7 November.
Nespoli talks with Italian students via amateur radio The first amateur radio link-up between ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Italian students was established yesterday morning at around 9:30 CET (08:30 UT). On this occasion two classes participated: the IIS Deambrosis-Natta School, from Sestri Levante, near Genoa, and the Engineering Faculty of the University of L'Aquila.
Winners selected in ESA space art contest Pupils from all over Germany joined ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's ground-breaking Astrolab mission by taking part in an art contest. Over 500 excellent submissions made judging a challenge and showed that European students are interested in space and potential careers as scientists, engineers and explorers.
Personal digital assistants in space Can tiny and ubiquitous devices like Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) be of use for space applications? The answer is a definite yes. Recent tests have demonstrated current and future uses for PDAs on board the International Space Station.
'You see all of Europe in one glance' - Thomas Reiter reports on his ISS mission The ISS, symbol of international cooperation, became a bit more international with ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's long-duration mission. Today, Reiter met the press for the first time since returning from the International Space Station, at ESA's European Astronaut Centre (EAC), in Cologne, Germany.
Press conference with ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter after his mission to the ISS ESA PR 03-2007. On Thursday 18 January, a press conference will take place at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany to give media a chance to meet the ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, of Germany, after completion of his mission following the landing of Space Shuttle Discovery on 22 December.
ESA's pair of astronauts back on Earth ESA PR 49-2006. Space Shuttle Discovery landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida tonight at 23:32 CET (22:32 UTC/GMT), completing one of the most complex assembly missions to the International Space Station to date, and bringing back ESA's two astronauts, Christer Fuglesang and Thomas Reiter.
Reiter starts journey home ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter started his journey back to Earth yesterday evening when Space Shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station. Reiter spent a total of 166 days living on the orbiting outpost.
Thomas Reiter joins Shuttle descent crew Early this morning, the installation of a new seat liner in the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft marked the end of ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's period as a member of the Space Station's Expedition crew.
Out-of-this-world cuisine A French master chef has taken his meals to a new location this week. London? Tokyo? New York? Not far enough for Alain Ducasse Formation (ADF). Last Sunday their meals were served to the astronauts living on board the International Space Station.
ESA PR 2010-20 ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli will travel to the International Space Station in December on a six-month mission, serving as flight engineer for Expeditions 26 and 27. This will be the third long-duration mission by a European astronaut on the Station. 
ESA's SMOS water mission has taken another step forward by demonstrating that it will lead to a better understanding of ocean circulation. Using preliminary data, scientists can clearly see how surface currents affect the 'Amazon plume' in the open sea. 
Devastating around a third of the country, it is estimated that the floods in Pakistan have affected up to 20 million people. As part of the effort to support humanitarian relief, satellite data are being used to generate essential maps of the flooded areas. 
ESA's Herschel infrared space observatory has discovered that ultraviolet starlight is the key ingredient for making water in space. It is the only explanation for why a dying star is surrounded by a gigantic cloud of hot water vapour. 
Cluster has spent a decade revealing previously hidden interactions between the Sun and Earth. Its studies have uncovered secrets of the aurora, solar storms, and given us insight into fundamental processes that occur across the Universe. And there is more work to do. 
ESA is inviting students to propose experiments to fly on sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons. The winning teams will have the opportunity to design and build an experiment for the BEXUS balloons or the REXUS rockets. 
An unmanned aircraft system guided by satnav has been developed within ESA's Business Incubation Centre to provide rapid monitoring of land areas and disaster zones. The planes have already helped Spanish farmers in Andalusia to fight land erosion.
Orcus Patera is an enigmatic elliptical depression near Mars's equator, in the eastern hemisphere of the planet. Located between the volcanoes of Elysium Mons and Olympus Mons, its formation remains a mystery. 
One of the most complex space scientific instruments ever built, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, escorted by astronauts who will fly with it on the Space Shuttle in February 2011. 
Nearing the end of its third month of continuous operation, the International Space Station's ship-tracking experiment has experienced a marked increase in data quality. Now it operates along with a dedicated satellite carrying the same receiver. 
ESA PR 2010-19 Media representatives are cordially invited to a briefing on the occasion of ten years of scientific discoveries by ESA's Cluster mission. 
Two start-up companies offering a communication handset for outdoor enthusiasts and a computer game to compete live with real racing drivers, both made possible thanks to space technology, are the first to receive funds from ESA's new Open Sky Technologies Fund.
A special kind of titanium and a manufacturing technique used to build the Ariane 5 rocket could become the next successful spin-offs from Europe's space programme, benefiting the oil and gas industry.
Envisat has been observing a rare event in the Arctic since early August - a giant iceberg breaking off the Petermann glacier in North-West Greenland. 
The Payload Module of ESA's latest meteorological satellite, MetOp-B, has been hauled out of the largest vacuum chamber in Europe: its ability to operate in the harsh conditions of space has been proved. 
ESA PR-17 2010 ESA and NASA have selected the scientific instruments for their first joint Mars mission. Scheduled for 2016, it will study the chemical makeup of the martian atmosphere, including methane. Discovered in 2003, methane could point to life on the Red Planet. 
As a strong supporter of the benefits that space industry can bring to Europe, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Antonio Tajani, visited ESA's ESRIN establishment in Italy today. 
Space helping to rebuild the economy and drive economic growth were the
central themes of Space Day at the Farnborough air show on Wednesday. 
A better understanding of how Earth's ice fields are changing has come another step closer as the first data from ESA's ice mission are released to selected scientists around the world for fine-tuning. 
The Farnborough International Air Show opened to blue skies and trade visitors today. Highlights included innovative passenger aircraft, a supersonic car and a dedicated Space Zone showcasing space technology and its importance to the world. 
ESA PR-16 2010: ESA, together with the UK Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and industry, will be exhibiting in a dedicated Space Zone at the Farnborough International Air Show, 19–25 July.
Asteroid Lutetia has been revealed as a battered world of many craters. ESA's Rosetta mission has returned the first close-up images of the asteroid showing it is most probably a primitive survivor from the violent birth of the Solar System. 
At the end of June, ESA's six astronaut candidates were thrown out of a helicopter, left to drift at sea and abandoned under the hot Mediterranean sun. Fortunately, their survival training allowed them to cope with the tough situations. 
On 10 July, ESA's Rosetta will fly past 21 Lutetia, the largest asteroid ever visited by a satellite. After weeks of manoeuvres and a challenging optical navigation campaign, Rosetta is perfectly lined up to skim by at 3162 km at 18:10 CEST. 
A start-up company supported by ESA's Business Incubation Centre has developed a new mobile phone indoor navigation system, which will soon help the six million annual visitors find their way around at the largest exhibition centre in Paris. 
ESA PR-15 2010 ESA's Planck mission has delivered its first all-sky image. It not only provides new insight into the way stars and galaxies form but also tells us how the Universe itself came to life after the Big Bang. 
Today, participants at the Living Planet Symposium have been hearing about ESA's most recently launched mission, CryoSat-2. In orbit for almost three months, the satellite is in excellent health with scientists very encouraged by the first ice-thickness data presented at the symposium. 
ESA PR-14 2010: The media are invited to ESA's Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, to follow Rosetta's encounter with asteroid Lutetia on 10 July, 18:00–23:00 CEST. The first images of the asteroid will be released before midnight, with experts available for interview. 
Today, a focus at ESA's Living Planet Symposium is on the innovative SMOS mission, which recently became operational. Early results are proving very encouraging with its first observations due to be released in early July. 
The first global gravity model based on GOCE satellite data has been presented at ESA's Living Planet Symposium. ESA launched GOCE in March 2009 to map Earth's gravity with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. 
When Mars Express set sail for the crater named after Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, it found a windblown plateau and mysterious rocky mounds nearby. 
More than 1200 scientists from around the world have gathered in Bergen, Norway, for ESA's week-long Living Planet Symposium to present their latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from observation satellites. 
Conditions favourable to life may once have existed all over Mars. Detailed studies of minerals found inside craters show that liquid water was widespread, not only in the southern highlands, but also beneath the northern plains. 
ESA's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth. 
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captures a complex network of gas clouds and star clusters within our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This region of energetic star birth is one of the most active in the nearby Universe. 
ESA PR 11-2010. The media are invited to ESA's largest scientific event of the year: the Living Planet Symposium, in Bergen, Norway. The symposium covers all areas of Earth observation, highlighting the results and ESA's planned missions, as well as bringing together the key scientists and decision-makers worldwide. 
ESA's comet-chaser Rosetta is heading for a blind date with asteroid Lutetia. Rosetta does not yet know what Lutetia looks like up-close but beautiful or otherwise the two will meet on 10 July. 
As the ISS circles Earth, it has begun tracking individual ships crossing the seas beneath. An experiment hosted by ESA's Columbus module is testing the viability of monitoring global traffic from the Station's orbit hundreds of kilometres up. 
Ten past and present ESA astronauts will be at the ILA international aerospace show at Berlin's Schoenefeld on Friday 11 June. At the same time, ESA will continue its presence on its shared stand. 
It's harsh, demanding, isolated and even hostile, but a unique place: Concordia research station in Antarctica. ESA is now looking for someone with medical training to join the next crew to overwinter in Concordia. 
Mars500, the first full-length simulated mission to Mars, started today in Moscow at 13:49 local time (11:49 CET), when the six-man crew entered their 'spacecraft' and the hatch was closed. The experiment will run until November next year. 
This video shows what future astronauts would see from their cockpit: Mars turning below as they sweep around the Red Planet. Last month, ESA's Mars Express snapped images every minute to create a unique video that loops through a complete orbit of Earth's gorgeous neighbour. 
ESA's Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli will soon visit the International Space Station, and he needs your help to name his mission. 
Following the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull volcano that spewed huge amounts of ash and grounded numerous flights, more than 50 experts from around the world gathered at a workshop organised by ESA and EUMETSAT to discuss what has been learned and identify future opportunities for volcanic ash monitoring. 
A new section in the ESA web site highlights the Agency's growing activity related to the Space Situational Awareness programme. The full SSA system will protect Europe's citizens and satellite-based services by detecting space hazards. 
Deposits of volcanic ash colour this view of the Meridiani Planum, as seen by the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera. They also give clues to the prevailing wind direction in this region of Mars. 
The Soyuz Consultation Committee, comprising representatives of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES and Arianespace, met on Tuesday, 11 May in French Guiana. It confirmed that the inaugural launch of Soyuz from the Guiana Space Centre would take place during the fourth quarter of 2010. 
ESA's Space Spin-off Award for 2010 has been presented to Italian company Kentec for using space technology from the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory and the Hubble telescope in a machine vision system for the glass industry. 
The start-up company Star2Earth, reared in the ESA Business Incubation Centre in the Netherlands, will improve electricity production from a hydroelectric plant on Lake Laja in Chile by using navigation satellite signals to measure water levels and wave heights. 
Images from the recent flyby of Phobos, on 7 March 2010, are released today. The images show Mars' rocky moon in exquisite detail, with a resolution of just 4.4 metres per pixel. They show the proposed landing sites for the forthcoming Phobos-Grunt mission. 
Mars Express encountered Phobos last night, smoothly skimming past at just 67 km, the closest any manmade object has ever approached Mars' enigmatic moon. The data collected could help unlock the origin of not just Phobos but other 'second generation' moons. 
Dark energy, habitable planets around other stars, and the mysterious nature of our own Sun, have been chosen by ESA as candidates for two medium-class missions to be launched no earlier than 2017. 
Today Mars Express began a series of flybys of Phobos, the largest moon of Mars. The campaign will reach its crescendo on 3 March, when the spacecraft will set a new record for the closest pass to Phobos, skimming the surface at just 50 km. The data collected could help untangle the origin of this mysterious moon. 
ESA's Herschel observatory is back to full operation following the reactivation of its HIFI instrument. HIFI, having been offline for 160 days while engineers investigated an unexpected problem in the electronic system, is now perfectly placed to resume its study of forming stars and planets. 
Five years ago today, ESA's Huygens probe descended to the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Today planetary scientists from around the world have gathered in Barcelona to discuss the legacy of Huygens and to consider future Titan exploration missions. 
Rosetta's OSIRIS imaging system spotted an anticyclone over the South Pacific on the morning of 13 November. The images show the scene roughly as a human eye would see it. 
Images and data taken just before closest approach were downloaded this morning, and they show the lights of North America in the night and a glowing Southern Hemisphere. 
This morning, mission controllers confirmed that ESA's comet chaser Rosetta had swung by Earth at 8:45 CET as planned, skimming past our planet to pick up a gravitational boost for an epic journey to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014. 
During the night of 12/13 November, scientists working at ESA's Optical Ground Station in Tenerife, Spain, conducted observations to view Rosetta as the satellite approached Earth. 
This spectacular image of our home planet was captured by the OSIRIS instrument on ESA's Rosetta comet chaser earlier today as the spacecraft approached Earth for the third and final swingby. Closest approach is due at 08:45 CET, 13 November 2009. Follow Rosetta's progress at ESA's 
When Europe's comet chaser Rosetta swings by Earth tomorrow for a critical gravity assist, tracking data will be collected to precisely measure the satellite's change in orbital energy. The results could help unravel a cosmic mystery that has stumped scientists for two decades. 
Data collected during two close flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus by Cassini add more fuel to the fire about the icy world containing sub-surface liquid water. 
European scientists on the joint NASA/ESA Cassini mission have detected, for the first time, sodium salts in ice grains of Saturn's E-ring, which is primarily replenished by material from the plumes of water vapour and ice grains emitted by Saturn's moon Enceladus. The detection of salty ice indicates that the little moon harbours a reservoir of liquid water, perhaps even an ocean, beneath its surface. 
The Cassini spacecraft has a new two-year mission that will address new questions and bring it closer to two of its most intriguing targets: Titan and Enceladus. On 30 June, Cassini completed its four-year prime mission and began its extended mission, which was approved in April this year.
The operations of the Cassini spacecraft, part of the international NASA/ ESA/ ASI Cassini-Huygens mission, have been extended by NASA by two years. The historic mission's stunning discoveries and images have revolutionised our knowledge of Saturn and its moons. 
The Cassini spacecraft tasted and sampled a surprising organic brew erupting in geyser-like fashion from Saturn's moon Enceladus during a close flyby on 12 March. Scientists are amazed that this tiny moon is so active, 'hot' and brimming with water vapour and organic chemicals. 
Cassini has discovered evidence that points to the existence of an underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn's moon Titan. The findings were made using radar measurements of Titan's rotation. 
The Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of material orbiting Rhea, Saturn's second largest moon. This is the first time rings may have been found around a moon. 
Space Shuttle Discovery landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida this evening at 19:01 CET (18:01 UT), completing one of the most complex assembly missions to the International Space Station to date, bringing back seven crew members, including ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli. 
Early tomorrow morning there is a rare opportunity to see the Space Station flying in formation with Space Shuttle Discovery, homeward bound and due to land in Florida tomorrow evening. 
After saying their farewells to the ISS crew yesterday evening, the STS-120 crew is preparing to undock from the International Space Station at 11:32 CET (10:32 UT) this morning. Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to touchdown in Florida at 19:02 CET (18:02 UT) on Wednesday. 
Astronauts on board the International Space Station are preparing for a spacewalk to repair one of the Station's solar arrays. The fourth spacewalk of the STS-120 mission is scheduled to take place on Saturday. 
The second amateur radio link-up between ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Italian students took place yesterday morning at around 8:33 CET (07:33 UT). This link-up continues the Amateur Radio on the ISS (ARISS) educational activity, which is part of the joint ESA-ASI programme of education activities for the Esperia mission. 
"Good morning Mr Nespoli and nice to see you too Commander Melroy [in English in the original]," that was how Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic, started the call with the ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and STS-120 Commander Pamela Melroy, on board the International Space Station. 
ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and his fellow STS-120 crew members will stay in space for one extra day. Space Shuttle Discovery is now scheduled to land on 7 November. 
The first amateur radio link-up between ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli and Italian students was established yesterday morning at around 9:30 CET (08:30 UT). On this occasion two classes participated: the IIS Deambrosis-Natta School, from Sestri Levante, near Genoa, and the Engineering Faculty of the University of L'Aquila. 
Pupils from all over Germany joined ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's ground-breaking Astrolab mission by taking part in an art contest. Over 500 excellent submissions made judging a challenge and showed that European students are interested in space and potential careers as scientists, engineers and explorers. 
Can tiny and ubiquitous devices like Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) be of use for space applications? The answer is a definite yes. Recent tests have demonstrated current and future uses for PDAs on board the International Space Station. 
The ISS, symbol of international cooperation, became a bit more international with ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's long-duration mission. Today, Reiter met the press for the first time since returning from the International Space Station, at ESA's European Astronaut Centre (EAC), in Cologne, Germany. 
ESA PR 03-2007. On Thursday 18 January, a press conference will take place at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany to give media a chance to meet the ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, of Germany, after completion of his mission following the landing of Space Shuttle Discovery on 22 December. 
ESA PR 49-2006. Space Shuttle Discovery landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida tonight at 23:32 CET (22:32 UTC/GMT), completing one of the most complex assembly missions to the International Space Station to date, and bringing back ESA's two astronauts, Christer Fuglesang and Thomas Reiter. 
ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter started his journey back to Earth yesterday evening when Space Shuttle Discovery undocked from the International Space Station. Reiter spent a total of 166 days living on the orbiting outpost. 
Early this morning, the installation of a new seat liner in the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft marked the end of ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter's period as a member of the Space Station's Expedition crew. 
A French master chef has taken his meals to a new location this week. London? Tokyo? New York? Not far enough for Alain Ducasse Formation (ADF). Last Sunday their meals were served to the astronauts living on board the International Space Station. 
