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The European Union’s new government satellite communications program, GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said Jan. 27.

On January 27 2026, at the 18th European Space Conference, 5 disruptive innovations were awarded the Prize for Game-Changing Innovation for European Launch Solutions, in the presence of Commissioner Andrius Kubilius and MEP Christophe Grudler. Each winner received €950,000 for their innovation that will redefine Europe’s access to space, reinforcing our strategic autonomy and improve the competitiveness of the European space industry.

The European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has signed a new launch contract with Arianespace for the deployment of the second pair of Galileo Second Generation satellites, known as Galileo L18, to be launched aboard an Ariane 6 launcher under the delegation of the European Commission, strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy.

One of the closest planetary nebulas to Earth, the Helix Nebula has become a favorite among astronomers using ground- and space-based telescopes to study the final moments of a dying star in detail.

The EUDIS Hackathon Autumn 2025 edition brought together Europe’s most promising innovators to address critical challenges in space and defence. This third edition of the EUDIS Hackathon, themed “Technologies for Space and Defence”, took place from 17 to 19 October 2025 across eight European locations – the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

Got a space-powered idea? Upstream or downstream? Show it to the world. Win up to €100,000 in the CASSINI challenges. Use space technology to create impact on Earth - and beyond.

Following the success of previous editions, ESA's Education Office, in collaboration with ESA’s Requirements and Standards Section, is once again organising the five-day Space Standards Training Course. The eighth edition of this course will take place in person from 1 to 5 June 2026 at ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Facility in ESA’s European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC), Belgium.

Dreaming of a career in space? The 2026 ESA Graduate Trainee opportunities are launching soon! It’s time to polish up your CV, craft your motivation letter and get ready to reach for the stars.

The French space agency CNES and the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, have partnered to launch a €1 million challenge focused on the use of artificial intelligence to analyse satellite data.

Europe has no shortage of talented engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs working in space, yet it continues to lag behind the US and China.

Budgets have been set, political priorities are shifting and several long-promised programs are moving from rhetoric to execution. Here is who and what will matter in the European arena in 2026.

After being left in the dust by Elon Musk’s low-cost, reusable rockets, Europe’s humbled space industry enters 2026 with a new determination to catch up with SpaceX.