The new Sentinel-1D satellite, equipped with C-band SAR and AIS, enters the final phase of flight preparation on the European Ariane 6 rocket. In tandem with Sentinel-1C, it brings more frequent imagery, faster data delivery and reliable continuity of the Copernicus mission for civil protection, maritime affairs, climate and economy.
The PHOEBUS project developed by ESA, ArianeGroup and MT Aerospace brings composite liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks to the upper stage of ARIANE 6. The first batch of production ends by December 2025, and tests of 2 m diameter tanks are planned for April 2026 in Trauen, with strict safety protocols and detailed instrumentation
The ISS brings stable microgravity in which cancer cells spontaneously organize into 3D spheroids more faithfully than 2D cultures. In this environment, ICE survival regulators are revealed; target TMBIM6 allows pharmacological induction of paraptosis and selective destruction of tumor cells, with the potential for use in a variety of, including resistant, cancers
Phoebus, an ESA development initiative with partners ArianeGroup and MT Aerospace, brings liquid hydrogen composite cryotanks to the upper stage of the Ariane 6 rocket. With a lighter structure and superior airtightness, the goal is to increase load capacity, reduce mission costs and prepare the way for the industrialization of composite tanks in Europe.
In Darmstadt, ESOC teams are conducting intensive simulations for Sentinel-1D, a satellite scheduled to launch on November 4, 2025, to rehearse reactions to the Carrington-inspired extreme solar storm scenario: temporary GNSS loss, communication disruptions, rising atmospheric resistance, and SAR instrument protection.
Apophis 2029 brings the closest approach by a large asteroid to Earth, and ESA's Ramses mission is preparing to follow every detail of the historic event. The spacecraft should arrive before perigee on 13 April 2029 and record changes in rotation, composition and surface, while the passage will be visible to the naked eye in Europe and Africa