News

Riga-based SpaceTech startup Deep Space Energy has raised a total €930k to further develop a radioisotopic generator toward commercialisation, in a bid to strengthen the European sovereign space and defense industry and power Moon surface exploration.

The launch of the Ariane 6 rocket in Kourou, French Guiana on 12 February signifies access to space for Europe, says Ludwig Möller, director of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).

This stunning image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals a dramatic interplay of light and shadow in the Egg Nebula, sculpted by freshly ejected stardust.

Hypersonica has completed its first hypersonic test flight at Andøya Space in Norway, marking a European first for a privately funded defence company. The Anglo-German firm said the missile prototype exceeded Mach 6, travelled more than 300 km and operated nominally throughout ascent and descent.

Europe is preparing to launch its most powerful rocket yet - the four-booster Ariane 64, which will lift off from French Guiana this week.

Many events have occurred on Unst, the UK’s northernmost island, over the centuries. Viking longboats landed there in the ninth century as their crews raided Britain and there is a Bronze Age ritual burial ground on the island’s Lamba Ness peninsula. So far, a space rocket has not taken off.

Europe already has much of the hardware needed for sovereign space-based intelligence, but not yet the political reflex to use it collectively. As U.S. intelligence guarantees look less certain and Russia tests Europe’s deterrence, the main barrier is no longer technology or funding, but governments’ willingness to share highly classified satellite data across borders.

The compact pulse-power driver could enable high-power microwave attacks that are harder to detect and attribute than conventional anti-satellite weapons, potentially putting China ahead of the United States and Russia in the space-weapons race.

German space technology company OHB announced on 4 February that it has established a new subsidiary, the European Moonport Company, to consolidate all its efforts related to future missions to the Moon.

German rocket builder Isar Aerospace has announced plans to expand its testing facilities at the Esrange Space Center in Sweden. The announcement comes as the company prepares for the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, currently expected no earlier than 19 March.

A one-month delay to NASA’s Artemis II mission should not raise alarm, according to European Space Agency executive Geraldine Naja, who says “space is a risky business” and schedule shifts are often about safety.

Do you have a space-related idea — or a space-technology solution addressing real-world challenges on Earth? At ESA BIC Hungary, we support you in building a startup from idea to market with up to €60,000 in non-dilutive funding, expert mentoring, and access to ESA’s international network. 🔹 technical, business & legal support 🔹 investor connections 🔹 co-working space & global visibility 🔹 the strength of the ESA brand