Space and Mineral Mining Information

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And now some aggregated RSS Feeds from major space agencys.

News

  • NASA:
    Brian Alpert’s path was always destined for the aerospace industry, but his journey turned toward NASA’s Johnson Space Center during his sophomore year in college. That was when Tricia Mack, who works in NASA’s Transportation Integration Office within the International Space Station Program, spoke to his aerospace seminar about planning spacewalks, training crews, and supporting […]
  • ESA:
    HydroGNSS

    Update 19 November: The launch is now targeted for 26 November. 

    The European Space Agency’s HydroGNSS, a twin-satellite mission to gather data on Earth’s water cycle, is scheduled to launch on 26 November at 19:18 CET (10:18 Pacific Time). Live coverage of the launch will be shown on ESA Web TV.

  • NASA:
    Read this press release in English here. Ya está abierto el plazo de acreditación de medios de comunicación para el lanzamiento de la primera misión lunar tripulada de la campaña Artemis de la NASA. Con un lanzamiento previsto para principios de 2026, el vuelo de prueba Artemis II enviará a los astronautas de la NASA Reid […]
  • NASA:
    Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí. Media accreditation is open for the launch of the first crewed Moon mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign. Targeted to launch in early 2026, the Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an […]
  • NASA:
    NASA ER-2 pilot Kirt Stallings waits inside the transport vehicle moments before boarding the airborne science aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025. Outside the window, the aircraft is being readied for a high-altitude mission supporting the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx), a multi-year NASA–U.S. Geological Survey […]
  • NASA:
    Read this press release in English here. La NASA ofrecerá un evento en vivo (en inglés) a las 3 p.m. EST del miércoles 19 de noviembre para compartir imágenes del cometa interestelar 3I/ATLAS captadas por varias misiones de la agencia. El evento tendrá lugar en el Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de la NASA, en Greenbelt, […]
  • NASA:
    Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí. NASA will host a live event at 3 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Nov. 19, to share imagery of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS collected by a number of the agency’s missions. The event will take place at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Comet 3I/ATLAS, discovered by the […]
  • NASA:
    Air taxis and drones navigate different flight zones with NASA-inspired system
  • ESA:
    Climbing high to measure greenhouse gas flux

    For decades, the Amazon rainforest has quietly absorbed vast quantities of human-generated carbon dioxide, helping to slow the pace of climate change. Recent evidence, however, suggests that this vital natural buffer may be weakening – though uncertainties remain.

    To help close this critical knowledge gap, European and Brazilian researchers have gathered deep in the Amazon to carry out an ambitious European Space Agency-funded field campaign.

  • DLR:
    Die Space Tech Expo Europe feiert ihr 10-jähriges Bestehen in Bremen. Das DLR beteiligt sich vom 18. bis zum 20. November 2025 wieder mit einem der größten Messestände in Halle 5, Standnummer J28. Hier präsentieren das DLR und die Deutsche Raumfahrtagentur im DLR aktuelle Raumfahrtmissionen, Exponate aus der Raumfahrtforschung sowie Transferthemen, die den Weg aus der Forschung in die Anwendung finden. Zudem haben Besucherinnen und Besucher die Möglichkeit, einen virtuellen Weltraumflug im SPACEBUZZ ONE der Deutschen Raumfahrtagentur im DLR zu erleben.
  • DLR:
    Dass es Wassereis auf dem Mond gibt, ist sehr wahrscheinlich. Können Menschen das Wasser nutzen, wenn sie auf den Mond zurückkehren? Es gibt eine Menge offene Fragen. Um den Antworten näher zu kommen, hat das DLR zusammen mit mehreren Universitäten getestet, wie sich Wasser auf dem Mond aufspüren lässt. Schauplatz war die LUNA-Anlage in Köln, wo robotische und astronautische Mondmissionen realitätsnah vorbereitet werden können.
  • ESA:
    Video: 00:02:09

    Copernicus Sentinel-6B was launched on 17 November 2025, ready to continue a decades-long mission to track the height of the planet’s seas – a key measure of climate change. The satellite was carried into orbit on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US.

    Sentinel-6B follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched in 2020. The mission is the reference radar altimetry mission that continues the vital record of sea-surface height measurements until at least 2030.

    Copernicus Sentinel-6 has become the gold standard reference mission to monitor and record sea-level rise. The mission’s main instrument is the Poseidon-4 dual-frequency (C-band and Ku-band) radar altimeter. Developed by ESA, the altimeter measures sea-surface height. It also captures the height of ‘significant’ waves as well as wind speed to support operational oceanography.

  • NASA:
    About the size of a full-size pickup truck, a newly launched satellite by NASA and its partners will provide ocean and atmospheric information to improve hurricane forecasts, help protect infrastructure, and benefit commercial activities, such as shipping. The Sentinel-6B satellite lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg […]
  • ESA:
    Sentinel-6B separates from rocket

    The latest guardian of our oceans has taken its place in orbit. The Copernicus Sentinel-6B satellite is now circling Earth, ready to continue a decades-long mission to track the height of the planet’s seas – a key measure of climate change.

  • NASA:
    Set to track sea levels across more than 90% of Earth’s ocean, the mission must first get into orbit. Here’s what to expect.   Sentinel-6B, an ocean-tracking satellite jointly developed by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), is ready to roll out to the launch pad, packed into the payload fairing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 […]
  • NASA:
    Data from Sentinel-6B will continue a decades-long record of sea surface height, helping to improve coastal planning, protect critical infrastructure, and advance weather forecasts. With launch set for no earlier than 12:21 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 17, Sentinel-6B is the latest satellite in a series of spacecraft NASA and its partners have used to measure […]
  • NASA:
    NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for Sentinel-6B, an international mission delivering critical sea level and ocean data to protect coastal infrastructure, improve weather forecasting, and support commercial activities at sea. Launch is targeted at 12:21 a.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST, Sunday, Nov. 16) aboard a SpaceX Falcon […]
  • NASA:
    This image released on June 30, 2025, combines data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory to visualize dark matter. Researchers used Webb’s observations to carefully measure the mass of the galaxy clusters shown here as well as the collective light emitted by stars that are no longer bound to individual […]
  • NASA:
    NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has earned 2025 R&D 100 Awards for developing a system that delivers high-speed internet for space and co-inventing technology for a new class of soft magnetic nanocrystalline materials designed to operate at extreme temperatures. This brings NASA Glenn’s total to 130 R&D 100 Awards.  High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking   NASA […]
  • ESA:
    Video: 00:00:22

    The Sun is always mesmerising to watch, but Solar Orbiter captured a special treat on camera: a dark ‘prominence’ sticking out from the side of the Sun.   

    The dark-looking material is dense plasma (charged gas) trapped by the Sun's complex magnetic field. It looks dark because it is cooler than its surroundings, being around 10 000 °C compared to the surrounding million-degree plasma.  

    When viewed against the background of space, the hovering plasma is referred to as a prominence. When viewed against the Sun's surface, it is called a filament. (In this image you can see examples of both.) 

    Solar prominences and filaments extend for tens of thousands of kilometres, several times the diameter of Earth. They can last days or even months. This video shows one hour of footage, sped up to make movement more clearly visible.  

    Solar Orbiter recorded this video with its Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) instrument on 17 March 2025. At the time, the spacecraft was around 63 million km from the Sun, similar to planet Mercury. 

    Solar Orbiter is a space mission of international collaboration between ESA and NASA. The EUI instrument is led by the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB). 

    [Video description: Close-up video of the Sun, filling the left half of the view, its surface covered what looks like moving, glowing hairs accompanied by some short-lived bright arcs. Protruding to the right, in the centre of the video, is dark material that looks almost feathery, with thin streaks flowing both away from and towards the Sun.] 

  • ESA:
    3D-printed space metal under microscope

    Week in images: 10-14 November 2025

    Discover our week through the lens

  • NASA:
    Stars of all ages are on display in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of the sparkling spiral galaxy called NGC 6000, located 102 million light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. NGC 6000 has a glowing yellow center and glittering blue outskirts. These colors reflect differences in the average ages, masses, and temperatures of the […]
  • ESA:
    ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter observes comet 3I/ATLAS – GIF

    Since comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object, was discovered on 1 July 2025, astronomers worldwide have worked to predict its trajectory. ESA has now improved the comet’s predicted location by a factor of 10, thanks to the innovative use of observation data from our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft orbiting Mars.

  • ESA:
    This very high-resolution image captures the beautiful medieval core of the Czech capital, Prague. Image: This very high-resolution image captures the beautiful medieval core of the Czech capital, Prague.
  • NASA:
    A pair of NASA spacecraft ultimately destined for Mars will study how its magnetic environment is impacted by the Sun. The mission also will help the agency prepare for future human exploration of Mars. NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft launched at 3:55 p.m. EST, Thursday, aboard a Blue Origin New […]
  • NASA:
    By Susanne P. Schwenzer, Professor of Planetary Mineralogy at The Open University, U.K. Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 I am writing this blog and it’s still daytime — and I am looking forward to accompanying one of my favorite kids to trick-and-treating afterwards. That’s a new feeling for me because I am usually […]
  • NASA:
    Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 Curiosity has successfully drilled its 44th hole on Mars, which is a major milestone in our investigation of the enigmatic “boxwork unit,” a region of resistant ridges surrounding pits or “hollows” of less-resistant rock. The drilling took place […]
  • NASA:
    Written by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, APXS Payload Uplink/Downlink Lead, University of New Brunswick Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 Curiosity has been investigating the “boxwork unit” for several months now. Readers might remember we drilled at the edge of the boxwork at “Altadena,” back in June. Since then, we have driven just under a kilometer […]
  • NASA:
    Written by Diana Hayes, Graduate Student at York University, Toronto Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 This week was one of seasonal changes and milestones for the mission. As was mentioned several weeks ago, Mars has now moved out of its “cloudy season” and is transitioning into the “dusty season” as the planet moves […]
  • NASA:
    Written by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator at Framework Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 Before Curiosity landed 13 years ago, the science team eyed all the geologic wonders scattered across the flanks of Mount Sharp and looked forward to the day when we could put the rover to work on them. We […]
  • NASA:
    NASA astronaut Jonny Kim took this photo on July 23, 2025, as the International Space Station orbited 259 miles above a cloudy Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico. Visible in the image is the 57.7-foot-long Canadarm2 robotic arm, which extends from a data grapple fixture on the International Space Station’s Harmony module. Attached to its latching […]
  • NASA:
    Perseverance Encounters a Possible Meteorite Written by Candice Bedford, Research Scientist at Purdue University Oct. 1, 2025 During the rover’s recent investigation of the bedrock at “Vernodden,” Perseverance encountered an unusually shaped rock about 80 centimeters across (about 31 inches) called “Phippsaksla.” This rock was identified as a target of interest based on its sculpted, […]
  • NASA:
    NASA’s Technology Transfer Office invites entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative thinkers to apply NASA’s patented technologies to practical applications. Participants will select an existing NASA patent and develop a business or product concept that will be evaluated based on value proposition, business model viability, development feasibility, and quality of presentation. Entries should clearly demonstrate creativity, feasibility, […]
  • ESA:
    Forest floor and forest canopy

    As the COP30 climate conference gets underway in Brazil, the world’s attention is once again drawn to the plight of the Amazon – the planet’s largest and most vital rainforest. With the European Space Agency’s Earth Explorer Biomass satellite now in orbit, ESA is helping Brazil prepare to transform this new mission’s groundbreaking data into actionable knowledge for protecting the rainforest and confronting climate change.

  • ESA:
    Artist's impression of an explosion on another star

    Astronomers using the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton space observatory and the LOFAR telescope have definitively spotted an explosive burst of material thrown out into space by another star – a burst powerful enough to strip away the atmosphere of any unlucky planet in its path.

  • DLR:
    Die Europäische Raumfahrtorganisation (ESA) und das Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) starten dafür die Studie SOLIS100 zur Erforschung von Auswirkungen von Isolation und beengter Umgebung. Diese Studie wird in der ersten Hälfte des Jahres 2026 in der luft- und raumfahrtmedizinischen DLR-Forschungseinrichtung :envihab in Köln stattfinden. Für die internationale Studien-Crew suchen wir nun Teilnehmende.
  • ESA:
  • DLR:
    Das DLR-Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrtmedizin ist auch für die kommerzielle Raumfahrt von Bedeutung, da es moderne Infrastruktur und Fachkompetenz sowie wissenschaftliche Unterstützung für die Vorbereitung, Nachsorge und wissenschaftliche Entwicklung von Weltraummissionen bereitstellt. Das :envihab ist eine in Deutschland und Europa einzigartige Forschungseinrichtung, in der das DLR-Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrtmedizin Pionierarbeit für die Raumfahrtmedizin leistet und eine wesentliche Rolle bei der Unterstützung bemannter Weltraummissionen spielt.
  • DLR:
    Zwischen dem 9. und 11. November 2025 kam es auf der Sonne zu mehreren intensiven Sonnenflares, darunter ein besonders starker Ausbruch der Klasse X5.1 – einer der energiereichsten der letzten Jahre. Mit diesen Flares gingen mehrere koronale Massenauswürfe (CMEs) einher, die nun auf die Erde treffen.
  • DLR:
    Das DLR führt im MAPHEUS-Programm regelmäßig Flüge mit Höhenforschungsraketen durch. Am 12. November 2025 um 5:05 Uhr machte sich die Mission MAPHEUS-16 auf ihre Reise in die Schwerelosigkeit. Erstmals kombinierte das DLR dafür zwei RED KITE-Raketenmotoren.
  • ESA:
    The patterns of Coloe Fossae: What a martian ice age left behind

    Travelling up from Mars’s equator towards its north pole, we find Coloe Fossae: a set of intriguing scratches within a region marked by deep valleys, speckled craters, and signs of an ancient ice age.

  • DLR:
    Neue Bilder der HRSC-Stereokamera des DLR zeigen eine von Erdbeben, Einschlägen und klimatischen Extremen geprägte Marsregion: Die Coloe Fossae-Gräben sind Teil der "planetarischen Dichotomie" zwischen der Hochlandregion Terra Sabaea und der Tieflandregion Utopia Planitia. Die Böden der Senken geben wertvolle Einblicke in die Geschichte des Mars, insbesondere in seine klimatische Entwicklung.
  • ESA:
    Video: 00:03:42

    The year 2025 marked three decades of satellite navigation in Europe. To celebrate this milestone, on 2 September, the European Space Agency (ESA) opened the doors of ESTEC, its research and technology centre. Partners from across the continent joined a sensational event that took the audience on a journey through time, honouring the achievements and collaboration that have shaped the success story of the systems we rely on today: Galileo and EGNOS. 

  • JAXA:
    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hereby announces the launch schedule of MICHIBIKI No.5,
  • Reddit:
  • ESA:
    Video: 00:12:53

    Meet John McFall – Paralympian, medical doctor and member of ESA’s Astronaut Reserve. As part of ESA’s groundbreaking FLY initiative, John is helping prove that physical disability is no barrier to space. In this episode, he shares the results of a feasibility study showing no technical showstoppers for flying to the International Space Station with a prosthesis and talks about what’s next—from hardware certification and scientific proposals to astronaut reserve training and running in microgravity.

    In this miniseries, we take you on a journey through the ESA Astronaut Reserve, diving into the first part of their Astronaut Reserve Training (ART) at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) near Cologne, Germany. Our “ARTists” are immersing themselves in everything from ESA and the International Space Station programme to the European space industry and institutions. They’re gaining hands-on experience in technical skills like spacecraft systems and robotics, alongside human behaviour, scientific lessons, scuba diving and survival training. 

    ESA’s Astronaut Reserve Training programme is all about building Europe’s next generation of space explorers—preparing them for the opportunities of future missions in Earth orbit and beyond.

    This interview was recorded in February 2025.

    You can listen to this episode on all major podcast platforms.

    Keep exploring with ESA Explores!

  • ESA:
    Video: 00:04:49

    English: Paxi and the Start of the Great Space Adventure

    Join Paxi on a journey through time! Learn how humans first started exploring space, why countries in Europe teamed up to create the European Space Agency (ESA), what ESA does today, and how kids can be part of the adventure. 

    Czech: Paxi a Začátek velkého vesmírného dobrodružství

    Vydejte se s Paxi na cestu časem! Dozvíte se, jak lidé začali zkoumat vesmír, proč se evropské země spojily a založily Evropskou kosmickou agenturu (ESA), čím se ESA dnes zabývá a jak se děti mohou zapojit do tohoto dobrodružství. 

    Danish: Paxi og begyndelsen på det store rumeventyr

    Tag med Paxi på en rejse gennem tiden! Lær, hvordan mennesket begyndte at udforske rummet, hvorfor lande i Europa gik sammen om at oprette Den Europæiske Rumorganisation (ESA), hvad ESA laver i dag, og hvordan børn kan være en del af eventyret. 

    Dutch: Paxi en het begin van het grote ruimteavontuur

    Ga met Paxi mee op een reis door de tijd! Ontdek hoe mensen voor het eerst de ruimte gingen verkennen, waarom Europese landen samen de Europese Ruimtevaartorganisatie (ESA) hebben opgericht, wat ESA vandaag de dag doet en hoe kinderen deel kunnen uitmaken van dit avontuur. 

    Estonian: Paxi ja suure kosmoseseikluse algus

    Liitu Paxiga ajarännakule! Õpi, kuidas inimesed hakkasid kosmost uurima, miks Euroopa riigid ühinesid Euroopa Kosmoseagentuuri (ESA) loomiseks, mida ESA täna teeb ja kuidas lapsed saavad sellest seiklusest osa võtta. 

    Finnish: Paxi ja suuren avaruusseikkailun alku

    Lähde Paxin kanssa matkalle ajassa taaksepäin! Opi, miten ihmiset alkoivat tutkia avaruutta, miksi Euroopan maat perustivat yhdessä Euroopan avaruusjärjestön (ESA), mitä ESA tekee nykyään ja miten lapset voivat osallistua seikkailuun.

    French: Paxi et le début de la grande aventure spatiale

    Rejoignez Paxi dans un voyage à travers le temps ! Découvrez comment les humains ont commencé à explorer l'espace, pourquoi les pays européens se sont associés pour créer l'Agence spatiale européenne (ESA), ce que fait l'ESA aujourd'hui et comment les enfants peuvent participer à l'aventure. 

    German: Paxi und der Beginn des großen Weltraumabenteuers

    Begleite Paxi auf einer Reise durch die Zeit! Erfahre, wie die Menschen begannen, den Weltraum zu erforschen, warum sich europäische Länder zusammengeschlossen haben, um die Europäische Weltraumorganisation (ESA) zu gründen, was die ESA heute macht und wie Kinder Teil dieses Abenteuers werden können. 

    Greek: Ο Πάξι και η αρχή της μεγάλης διαστημικής περιπέτειας

    Ελάτε μαζί με τον Paxi σε ένα ταξίδι στο χρόνο! Μάθετε πώς οι άνθρωποι άρχισαν να εξερευνούν το διάστημα, γιατί οι χώρες της Ευρώπης συνεργάστηκαν για να δημιουργήσουν τον Ευρωπαϊκό Οργανισμό Διαστήματος (ESA), τι κάνει σήμερα ο ESA και πώς τα παιδιά μπορούν να συμμετάσχουν σε αυτή την περιπέτεια. 

    Hungrarian: Paxi és a nagy űrkaland kezdete

    Csatlakozz Paxihoz egy időutazásra! Tudj meg, hogyan kezdték el az emberek az űr kutatását, miért álltak össze az európai országok az Európai Űrügynökség (ESA) létrehozására, mit csinál ma az ESA, és hogyan vehetnek részt a gyerekek is ebben a kalandban. 

    Italian: Paxi e l’inizio della grande avventura nello Spazio

    Unisciti a Paxi in un viaggio attraverso il tempo! Scopri come gli esseri umani hanno iniziato a esplorare lo spazio, perché i paesi europei hanno collaborato per creare l'Agenzia Spaziale Europea (ESA), cosa fa oggi l'ESA e come i bambini possono partecipare a questa avventura. 

    Norwegian: Paxi og starten på det store romeventyret

    Bli med Paxi på en reise gjennom tiden! Lær hvordan menneskene først begynte å utforske verdensrommet, hvorfor landene i Europa gikk sammen om å opprette Den europeiske romorganisasjonen (ESA), hva ESA gjør i dag, og hvordan barn kan være med på eventyret. 

    Polish: Paxi i początek wielkiej kosmicznej przygody

    Dołącz do Paxi w podróży przez czas! Dowiedz się, jak ludzie zaczęli odkrywać kosmos, dlaczego kraje europejskie połączyły siły, aby stworzyć Europejską Agencję Kosmiczną (ESA), czym zajmuje się obecnie ESA i jak dzieci mogą wziąć udział w tej przygodzie. 

    Portuguese: Paxi e o início da grande aventura espacial

    Junte-se a Paxi numa viagem pelo tempo! Saiba como os humanos começaram a explorar o espaço, por que os países da Europa se uniram para criar a Agência Espacial Europeia (ESA), o que a ESA faz hoje e como as crianças podem fazer parte dessa aventura. 

    Romanian: Paxi și începutul marii aventuri spațiale

    Alătură-te lui Paxi într-o călătorie în timp! Află cum au început oamenii să exploreze spațiul, de ce țările din Europa s-au asociat pentru a crea Agenția Spațială Europeană (ESA), ce face ESA astăzi și cum pot copiii să participe la această aventură. 

    Slovenian: Paxi in začetek velike vesoljske pustolovščine

    Pridružite se Paxiju na potovanju skozi čas! Spoznajte, kako so ljudje začeli raziskovati vesolje, zakaj so se evropske države združile in ustanovile Evropsko vesoljsko agencijo (ESA), kaj ESA počne danes in kako lahko otroci sodelujejo v tej pustolovščini. 

    Spanish: Paxi y el comienzo de la gran aventura espacial

    ¡Acompaña a Paxi en un viaje a través del tiempo! Descubre cómo los seres humanos comenzaron a explorar el espacio, por qué los países europeos se unieron para crear la Agencia Espacial Europea (ESA), qué hace la ESA hoy en día y cómo los niños pueden formar parte de la aventura. 

    Swedish: Paxi & början på det stora rymdäventyret

    Följ med Paxi på en resa genom tiden! Lär dig hur människan började utforska rymden, varför länderna i Europa gick samman för att bilda Europeiska rymdorganisationen (ESA), vad ESA gör idag och hur barn kan vara med på äventyret. 

  • Reddit:
  • ESA:
    Video: 00:03:39

    The Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite has joined the Sentinel-1 mission in orbit. Launch took place on 4 November 2025 at 22:02 CET (18:02 local time) on board an Ariane 6 launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

    The Sentinel-1 mission delivers high-resolution radar images of Earth’s surface, performing in all weathers, day-and-night. This service is used by disaster response teams, environmental agencies, maritime authorities and climate scientists, who depend on frequent updates of critical data.

    Sentinel-1D will work in tandem with Sentinel-1C, flying in the same orbit but 180° apart, to optimise global coverage and data delivery. Both satellites have a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument on board, which captures high-resolution imagery of Earth’s surface. They are also equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) instruments to improve detection and tracking of ships. When Sentinel-1D is fully operational, it will enable more frequent AIS observations, including data on vessel identity, location and direction of passage, enabling precise tracking.

    Sentinel-1D was launched on Europe’s heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 on flight designated VA265. 

    Read full story: Copernicus Sentinel-1D reaches orbit on Ariane 6

    Access the related broadcast quality video material: Sentinel-1D launch on Ariane 6 - VA265 / Sentinel-1 mission animations

  • ESA:

    Week in images: 03-07 November 2025

    Discover our week through the lens