After eight years and nine planetary flybys, ESA–JAXA’s BepiColombo mission is about to reach a critical turning point. On 3 September 2026 at 14:00 CEST (12:00 UTC), the spacecraft will deliberately separate from the engine module that has carried it across the inner Solar System, an operation that might sound like something has gone wrong.
BepiColombo Sheds Its Transfer Module as the Mercury Arrival Begins Read More »
On August 5, a long-anticipated event will unfold nearly 385,000 kilometers from Earth. A discarded upper stage from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to slam into the lunar surface after spending more than a year drifting through cislunar space.
A SpaceX Rocket Stage Is About to Crash into the Moon. Here’s Why Scientists Are Excited Read More »
For the first time, scientists have been able to use microwave observations to investigate Io’s shallow subsurface temperature structure. The data provide a new perspective on how tidal energy travels from the interior toward the surface and may help explain why this small moon is so extraordinarily active.
Juno Peers Beneath Io’s Surface and Finds Heat Rising From Within Read More »
The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, provide valuable insights for planetary defense efforts and suggest that other objects currently catalogued as asteroids may actually be dormant or weakly active comets.
The gravity assist was far more than a navigational maneuver. It also provided mission scientists with a rare opportunity to test every major scientific instrument under realistic operating conditions before the spacecraft reaches its final destination.
Psyche’s Close Encounter with Mars Gives NASA a Crucial Dress Rehearsal Read More »
Beyond the successful deployment of Amazon’s satellites, the mission showcased a significant performance upgrade that will strengthen Europe’s launch capabilities for years to come.
Ariane 6 Sets a New European Record with Upgraded Boosters Read More »
Cover Image: Le Donne di Ora Prize – Credits Invitalia The recognition highlights a growing role for textile innovation in the future of human spaceflight. The Italian space sector continues to demonstrate that innovation does not only emerge from rockets, satellites, or propulsion systems. Sometimes, it begins with the materials astronauts wear every day. Corinna
Will Wells, CEO of Space Park Leicester, highlighted the breadth of Leicester’s contributions, pointing to missions ranging from SMILE and BepiColombo to ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), as well as emerging technologies being developed by spin-out company Perpetual Atomics in the field of space nuclear power systems.
Leicester Showcases Why the UK Space Sector Is More Than Just Launches Read More »
Named ERNEST (Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain), the experimental vehicle has recently completed an extensive field campaign in California’s Colorado Desert.
NASA’s ERNEST Rover Prototype Paves the Way for Future Lunar and Martian Exploration Read More »
The discovery represents one of the most significant early scientific results from the Euclid mission and provides an unprecedented view of a crucial period in cosmic evolution.
Euclid Pushes the Cosmic Frontier with the Discovery of 31 Ancient Quasars Read More »
