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Tag: ESA innovation

  • Europe’s future in space transportation

    Europe’s future in space transportation

    Space is huge and essential to humankind, fuelling knowledge, supporting our economies and driving global prosperity. None of this would be possible without reliable access to space.

    Since 1979, Europe has relied on the Ariane rockets and Vega series to launch its missions. Today, with Ariane 6 and Vega-C, ESA ensures Europe’s autonomous and independent access to space. But we are also looking ahead. With the Ariane Smart Transfer and Release In-orbit Ship (ASTRIS), Phoebus, P160C boosters, the MR-10 engine and more, ESA is enhancing its rockets with new innovations that improve cost, performance, capability and sustainability.

    ESA is also leading the way in developing new propulsion systems to power the European launchers of the future. In collaboration with industry, ESA is supporting the development of new technologies to be used on rocket, boosters, upper stages, landers and spacecraft.

    Initiates like Boosters for European Space Transportation (BEST!), Technologies for High-thrust Re-Usable Space Transportation (THRUST!) and Future Innovation and Research in Space Transportation programme (FIRST!), are advancing key technologies for reusable boosters, engines and other innovations crucial for the future of space exploration. ESA’s Space Rider is a reusable spacecraft and robotic laboratory, designed to stay in low Earth-orbit for two months and return payloads to Earth. Themis is a prototype for testing reusable rocket technologies, including vertical takeoff, landing and reuse, powered by the Prometheus engine.

    The future of space transport extends beyond Earth launches, with in-orbit operations, transportation systems to support satellite servicing, orbital refuelling, and payload transfers between orbits.

    To support all of this, ESA is upgrading its ground support and Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, to accommodate more launches.

    Through programmes like ‘Boost!’ ESA is empowering the European Space Industry, supporting innovative companies which are creating new launch services. The European Launcher Challenge is shaping a competitive European launch sector for the future, strengthening Europe’s autonomous access to space.

    Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)

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    We are Europe’s gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.

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  • Galileo Second Generation

    Galileo Second Generation

    Europe’s Galileo is the world’s most precise satellite navigation system, providing metre-level accuracy to billions of users. ESA and European industry are preparing a new generation of satellites for the European Union, the Galileo Second Generation or G2, that will revolutionise the fleet with enhanced capabilities.

    Galileo Second Generation satellites will integrate seamlessly with the current fleet to form the largest European satellite constellation and deliver essential services worldwide. With fully digital navigation payloads, electric propulsion, a better-performing navigation antenna, inter-satellite link capacity and an advanced atomic clock configuration, G2 satellites will provide more robust and reliable positioning, navigation and timing.

    Galileo is managed and funded by the European Commission, in partnership with ESA and EUSPA. Since its inception, ESA leads the design and development and is entrusted with R&D activities. EUSPA is the system prime for the operational system and oversees the exploitation of services.

    Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)

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    We are Europe’s gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.

    Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions

  • Can cockroaches help astronauts in their long space missions? 🪳

    Can cockroaches help astronauts in their long space missions? 🪳

    Waste management is a critical challenge for spaceflight. But what if the waste produced by astronauts could be sustainably transformed into something valuable in space? A Polish company thought about that and has come up an innovative solution: an insect bioreactor powered by Madagascar cockroaches.

    Astronika, with support from ESA, has developed an innovative insect bioreactor that could revolutionize waste management on long-duration space missions. Currently, astronauts on the ISS rely on high-temperature reactors to process small amounts of waste, but much of it is still sent back to Earth. This method is unsustainable for deep-space missions. The insect bioreactor offers a closed-loop solution by converting organic waste into valuable resources, helping to create a more self-sufficient space ecosystem.

    The system relies on Madagascar cockroaches, chosen for their resilience and efficiency in breaking down waste. The bioreactor can process up to 3.6 kg of waste per week, producing over 100 grams of protein-rich biomass—equivalent to more than 20 eggs. It also aids in water recovery and reduces waste volume, making it a highly sustainable option for future missions. By optimizing the bioreactor’s environment—controlling temperature, humidity, and waste conditions—the insects’ metabolism and reproduction can be accelerated, improving efficiency.

    While still in early development, the next step is to send a prototype to space to observe how cockroaches behave and reproduce in microgravity. Understanding their adaptation to space conditions will provide valuable insights for further development. In the future, this technology could be a key component of long-term missions to the Moon or Mars, not only for waste recycling but also for plant cultivation and food production, helping astronauts sustain themselves far from Earth.

    📹 ESA – European Space Agency
    📸 ESA/Astronika

    #ESA #SpaceResearch #Cockroaches