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A busy few months for ESA! Catch up with the latest ESA Impact visual report, featuring the launch of FLEX and Sentinel-3C, three spacewalks in 15 days, new milestones on BepiColombo's journey to Mercury and more. 🔗 esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/p...

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Reposted by European Space Agency

ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 30/09/2026

🛰️ The future of low Earth orbit is taking shape. New astronaut missions. New commercial destinations. New transportation capabilities. Discover how @esa.int is building on decades of International Space Station experience to prepare for what's next 🚀 🔗 esa.int/Science_Expl...

esa.int

Shaping Europe’s future in low Earth orbit

For more than 25 years, the Internation Space Station (ISS) has been humankind's home in space. It has enabled scientists to conduct research in weightlessness, helped astronauts learn how to live and...

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 30/09/2026

Our Smile mission is ready for science. Its ultraviolet camera has already captured this substorm rippling through the northern lights around Earth’s North Pole. @science.esa.int 🧪🔭

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 30/09/2026

🔴 Live now: ESA Director General @josefaschbacher.esa.int Live at the Euronews Defence & Space Summit in Brussels. watch.esa.int/two/

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 30/09/2026

Happy New Mars Year! 🥳 At exactly 10:16 CEST/08:16 UTC on Earth, the Red Planet begins a new orbit around our Sun. Join us in celebrating martian year 39 🎉

Infographic with facts and figures about New Mars Year 39.

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 30/09/2026

A glimpse of Europe's future in low Earth orbit. We've selected two European industrial teams to study the feasibility of a future European-led orbital outpost, exploring how Europe could strengthen its role in low Earth orbit in the post-ISS

Artist's impression of a potential European-led orbital station

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ESA in het Nederlands @nl.esa.int · 29/09/2026

🚀 Wat een geweldige dag was het tijdens de ESTEC-open dag 2026! Wij danken iedereen die met ons mee is gekomen om het technische hart van de Europese ruimtevaart te verkennen. Een speciaal woord van dank gaat uit naar onze partners en vrijwilligers die dit mogelijk hebben gemaakt. 🌍✨

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 29/09/2026

A little help from Earth 🌍 On 28 September, our Juice spacecraft flew by Earth, using our planet’s gravity to adjust its course towards Jupiter, increasing its speed by 3.5 km/s while using very little fuel. Next up: another Earth flyby in 2029, before Jupiter in 2031. 🔗 esa.int/Science_Expl...

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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 29/09/2026

A galactic house of mirrors 🌌🪞 Webb has captured this spectacular view of the galaxy cluster MACS J0454.1-0300. Its gravity is warping & multiplying the images of background galaxies, which appear like they have stepped into a house of mirrors! Read more 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... 🔭 🧪

A massive galaxy cluster, made of many golden elliptical galaxies with the largest, brightest one in the centre. Heavily distorted orange galaxies appear all around the cluster, the largest concentrated in a large arc around the cluster's centre; these are images of very distant galaxies, created by gravitational lensing. A few galaxies are large and bluish-white in colour; bright, nearby stars are the same colour. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, L. Furtak, S. Fujimoto

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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 28/09/2026

A successful Earth flyby improves Juice’s course to Jupiter Earlier today, Juice flew just 8640 km above the Indian Ocean and snapped these images with its onboard monitoring cameras. 1️⃣Africa, by Juice monitoring camera 2️⃣Madagascar, by Juice NavCam 3️⃣Moon, by Juice NavCam 🔭 🧪 #planetsci

Mostly black space, most of Earth visible at the top right of the image. Part of a spacecraft visible on the left.

Part of the island of Madagascar in black and white.

A crescent Moon, with about a quarter of the Moon showing. Many craters are visible.

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ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int · 23/09/2026

Who is ready for a change of season? 🍂🌱 The September equinox marks autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern, as the Sun crosses the equator. MTG-I1 captured it from space ⤵️ 📹 @esa.int / @eumetsat.int

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 23/09/2026

We’re strengthening our cooperation with Mistral on artificial intelligence. Together, we’ll explore secure and trusted European AI solutions for Earth observation, engineering and the next generation of space activities.

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 23/09/2026

We are providing an additional €2.7 million to support Rocket Factory Augsburg as it prepares for the first RFA One test flight from SaxaVord Spaceport in the UK. 🚀 Through our Boost! programme, we’re supporting further testing and launch infrastructure ahead of RFA One’s first flight.

Nine engines on first Rocket Factory Augsburg launch vehicle

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 22/09/2026

🚀 Today, European teams conduct the 500th simulation for @esa.int International Space Station operations. More than 260 flight controllers have been certified to date. This simulation helps prepare future flight controllers to support astronauts and science aboard the Space Station.

Participants during the 500th European simulation supporting International Space Station operations at ESA's European Astronaut Centre. Credits: ESA

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 22/09/2026

We will be at the #IAC2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, from 5–9 October. Journalists planning to attend can now register for press accreditation. 🔗 esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Media_Advisory_ESA_at_the_International_Astronautical_Congress_IAC_in_Antalya_Tuerkiye

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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 21/09/2026

Juice is returning to Earth, again 🛰️ On 28 September the spacecraft will fly by Earth, coming within 8640 km of our planet. The closest approach will be over the Indian Ocean at 13:45 CEST (11:45 UTC) 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭 🧪 #planetsci

Illustration showing Earth seen from space, the Juice spacecraft and its trajectory during the flyby.

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 21/09/2026

ESA and ISRO are extending and broadening their cooperation for another five years, opening new opportunities to work together on space weather, exploration and space sustainability. 🇮🇳 🔗 esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/ESA_and_ISRO_extend_and_broaden_cooperation_agreement

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 21/09/2026

Pokémon is heading to space with ESA. 🚀⚡ For #WorldSpaceWeek2026, Pokémon and ESA are teaming up to inspire the next generation of explorers. A special Pikachu plush has even travelled to the International Space Station with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot! (Credits: ESA/NASA S. Adenot)

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Josef Aschbacher @josefaschbacher.esa.int · 21/09/2026

As space activities expand beyond Earth orbit and new opportunities emerge in exploration, sustainability and advanced technologies, international cooperation remains essential. www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...

esa.int

ESA and ISRO extend and broaden cooperation agreement

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed an exchange of letters extending their long-standing Cooperative Agreement for a further five years, until...

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 20/09/2026

Thanks for an incredible #ESAOpenDays2026, Paris! Our Headquarters opened its doors this weekend to share a glimpse of ESA, our people and Europe’s future in space. Here are some highlights 👇

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ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int · 18/09/2026

Things get colourful high in the Andes 👀 False colour brings out the contrasts in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image of the Andean Altiplano, home to volcanoes, salt flats and lagoons, including Laguna Colorada, a shallow salt lake known for its red waters and flamingos. www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

Satellite image in false-colour of a mountainous volcanic region, with snow-covered peaks and ridges scattered across a dry, rugged landscape in shades of brown, tan and green. Numerous bright blue lakes and crater lakes dot the terrain, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding snow and volcanic landforms.

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 18/09/2026

📢 Journalists are invited to our ESTEC Open Day in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands, on 27 September. @technology.esa.int

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ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int · 17/09/2026

ESA has awarded contracts to ICEYE and Leonardo for architecture studies supporting the future Earth Observation Governmental Service. These studies contribute to the ERS-EO programme, a strategic effort to strengthen Europe’s resilience, security and autonomy. 🔗 www.esa.int/Applications...

esa.int

ESA awards contracts for Europe’s EOGS blueprint

The European Space Agency has awarded two contracts, one to ICEYE and one to Leonardo, to carry out parallel architecture studies for the EU’s future Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS).Thes...

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 17/09/2026

Nearly 80 companies are joining the next evolution of IRIS² through our Low-LEO activities, exploring future secure connectivity services and mission concepts for Europe. 🇪🇺🛰️ @esaconnectivity.esa.int

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ESA Navigation @navigation.esa.int · 17/09/2026

🆕 Galileo achieves first position fix using encrypted Signal Authentication Service (SAS) signals. At #Jammertest, test signals from five operational satellites enabled a receiver to establish its location under spoofing conditions, unlocking a new level of protection against interference.

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ESA Space Transport @transport.esa.int · 17/09/2026

From Europe's spaceport in French Guiana to orbit 🚀 #TBT This timelapse shows (quickly) the weeks of work needed to get MTG-I2 and Ariane 6 ready for liftoff. This was the ninth launch of Europe’s heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6, the first to go to as far as Geostationary Transfer Orbit.

youtube.com

From cleanroom to space: MTG-I2 satellite

YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 16/09/2026

Mars isn't always red. 💜 New images from Mars Express reveal striking purple swirls near the planet's south pole. 🔗 esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express/Purple_swirls_on_the_Red_Planet @science.esa.int

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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 15/09/2026

Webb reveals one of its largest images to date! 😲 This starry view shows the nearby star-forming region IC 348. Here, astronomers searched for brown dwarfs, objects which are less massive than the smallest stars. Read more 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭🧪

A star-forming region. It is blanketed in thick clouds of gas and dust, millions of kilometres across, that form swirling patterns. Bright stars are scattered throughout the clouds, with the densest cluster situated in the centre of the scene. Each is crowned with six long points created by the optics of the telescope’s mirrors. In the upper right, a couple of hidden stars blast out long, glowing jets of material. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, K. Luhman, C. Alves De Oliveira, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 15/09/2026

A look back at today's Vega-C launch. 👀 FLEX and Sentinel-3C are now safely in orbit, ready to begin their missions to study Earth's vegetation and monitor our changing planet. 🌍🛰️ Credit: ESA – S. Corvaja, M. Pedoussaut

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 15/09/2026

🌍➡️🚀 What comes after the International Space Station? In the latest episode of #ESAExplores, @esa.int astronaut Andreas Mogensen shares his perspective on Europe's future in orbit, from commercial space stations to the next chapter of human spaceflight. 🎧 Listen now: pod.link/1463873320

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 15/09/2026

✅ Signals acquired. FLEX and Sentinel-3C are in orbit and healthy. 🔗 www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre...

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 15/09/2026

Liftoff! 🚀 FLEX and Sentinel-3C are on their way. Vega-C #VV30 has departed Europe’s Spaceport carrying the two Earth observation satellites into orbit. @esaearth.esa.int @transport.esa.int @operations.esa.int

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 15/09/2026

🔴 Live now: follow the launch of FLEX and Sentinel-3C. 🔗 www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmrgyh5s-is

youtube.com

FLEX and Sentinel-3C launch (Official broadcast)

YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA

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ESA Operations @operations.esa.int · 14/09/2026

Any questions? You can ask our Hera Space Companion right now - our AI fed with approved operational, scientific and technical knowledge, making ESA’s first planetary defence mission accessible to everyone! hera.esa.int

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 14/09/2026

Earth's orbital environment is a finite resource. Our latest Space Environment Report shows the long-term impact of our activities in space worsened by an order of magnitude in just one year. The time to tackle space debris is now. Read more: www.esa.int/Space_Safety... @operations.esa.int

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European Space Agency @esa.int · 14/09/2026

FLEX and Sentinel-3C are ready for liftoff on Vega-C from Europe's Spaceport. ▶️ Tune in tonight from 02:50 CEST. 🚀 Liftoff is scheduled for 03:21 CEST. 🔗esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FLEX_and_Sentinel-3C_ready_for_liftoff_on_Vega-C

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ESA Operations @operations.esa.int · 12/09/2026

Meet a key member of our Hera asteroid mission team: the Hera Space Companion, not just an AI chatbot but a dynamic communication platform, ready to answer all your questions! hera.esa.int

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 11/09/2026

🚢 Soon to be frozen in space and time, this alien-looking vessel is beginning its first mission. 🧊 For 8 months, a crew of 12 won't leave the drifting ice in the Arctic to study how how life adapts to isolation & extremes in a region very sensitive to climate change. www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

esa.int

Arctic isolation for science

Tara Polar Station

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ESA Operations @operations.esa.int · 10/09/2026

An asteroid killed the dinosaurs because they didn’t have a space agency – so ESA’s Hera asteroid mission has a dino mascot (also aboard the spacecraft in real life!). But our dino needs a name – that’s where you come in! www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 10/09/2026

Smell, touch, observe 🖐️👃👀 Astronauts experience geology using their senses during @esa.int's PANGAEA training.

ESA astronaut Pablo Álvarez smells a rock sample to look for traces of carbonaceous fragments.

After holding a sample of kaolinite, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli smiles as she shows the effect that this clay-like rock has had on her hands.

JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui observes a rock sample to assign it to the right stratigraphic column in the Bletterbach canyon area with the help of a PANGAEA instructor.

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ESA Technology @technology.esa.int · 10/09/2026

🧹 As we celebrate #ZeroDebris week, the ESA-supported CubeSat GOMX-5 is preparing to launch with a mission that combines sustainable space operations and practical services on Earth 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

Engineers inspecting the GOMX-5 CubeSat in a laboratory

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 10/09/2026

🚀 Europe is taking a major step towards autonomous cargo transportation in low Earth orbit. @esa.int has signed a contract with The Exploration Company under ALADDIN for an initial Nyx demonstration mission to the International Space Station and future cargo services. 🔗 www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre...

A photo of the International Space Station captured by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet in 2021. Credits: NASA/ESA–T. Pesquet

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ESA Exploration @exploration.esa.int · 10/09/2026

🇬🇷👨‍🚀 @esa.int will implement an astronaut mission to the International Space Station for Greece with Vast. ESA Project Astronaut Adrianos Golemis is planned to serve as mission specialist and would become the first Greek astronaut. The mission is planned for 2027. 🔗 www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre...

ESA Project Astronaut Adrianos Golemis of Greece. Photo credit: ESA

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Josef Aschbacher @josefaschbacher.esa.int · 10/09/2026

Will we be passengers or pilots? Customers or service providers? Tenants or architects? At the International Space Summit, I argued that Europe must take steps now to shape its own future in space. Read my full speech 🧑‍🚀🚀 esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/corpora... #ParisSpaceSummit

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ESA Space Transport @transport.esa.int · 09/09/2026

With just a few days to go for VV30, the Vega-C rocket is now complete on the launch pad. The rocket now stands inside the mobile gantry, which will be rolled away hours before liftoff. Don't miss the livestream on 15 September at 02:50 CEST. www.esa.int/Applications... 📸 ESA - M. Pédoussaut

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Josef Aschbacher @josefaschbacher.esa.int · 09/09/2026

Last night we brought together astronauts, ministers, industry leaders and space enthusiasts to celebrate the imagination, innovation and cooperation that define Europe's journey in space. From Earth orbit to deep space, we were reminded that today's ambitions become tomorrow's achievements.

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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 09/09/2026

Eight years of space selfies in 4️⃣ minutes 📸 As the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission traveled toward its final destination around Mercury, three onboard monitoring cameras took images of the journey 👇 Which planets do you spot along the way? 👀 youtu.be/WJqWGdWERqk 🔭🧪 #planetsci

youtu.be

MTM's selfie footage of BepiColombo's eight-year journey

YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA

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ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int · 09/09/2026

MTG-I2 has reached geostationary orbit 🛰️ Just 12 days after launch, the satellite is now 36000 km above Earth and has completed its launch and early orbit phase. Together with its sister satellites, MTG-I2 will support weather forecasting across Europe and North Africa. www.esa.int/Applications...

esa.int

MTG-I2 reaches its final orbit

Europe’s Meteosat Third Generation Imager 2 (MTG-I2) satellite has reached its designated orbit at 36 000 km from Earth and is ready to begin its commissioning phase, preparing it to provide years of ...

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ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int · 08/09/2026

Volcanic plume rises from Anak Krakatau 🌋 Copernicus Sentinel-3 captured this image on 5 September, a day after the eruption began. The white plume shows volcanic gases carried high into the atmosphere, while brown clouds of ash and debris drift at a lower altitude. www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

Copernicus Sentinel-3 image showing Anak Krakatau erupting in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia. A long plume of ash and smoke extends westward over the ocean.

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ESA Operations @operations.esa.int · 07/09/2026

Metre-sized meteoroid 2026 RW1 (previously known as CERNQ52) hit the ocean off NW Australia on Sunday afternoon - but the impact was forecast roughly six hours in advance, using ESA’s Meerkat automated system for predicting imminent impactors! neo.ssa.esa.int/imminent-imp...

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