Rocky planets have been discovered to form in highly adverse environments, according to observations made by the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope, a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, found water and other important molecules within the inner regions of a protoplanetary disk located around a star situated in one of the most extreme environments in our galaxy. This challenges the traditional belief that rocky planet formation only occurs around low-mass stars. The discovery was made as part of Webb

Ireland achieved a significant milestone in space exploration on December 1, 2023, with the successful launch of its first satellite, EIRSAT-1, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. Developed by a team of students at University College Dublin in collaboration with the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Education Office, this 2-unit CubeSat aims to study gamma ray explosions in the universe.

EIRSAT-1 has been in development since 2017 when the student

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that the maiden flight of the Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled for the summer of 2024. This comes after a successful hot-fire test of the Vulcain 2.1 core stage engine on November 23. The test involved a full-scale rehearsal of the launch timeline and validated the models and operations for the upcoming launch. Two further tests are scheduled to qualify Ariane 6 for its maiden flight. The main and upper stages of the

Laurent Brouard, the Project Manager at Airbus Defence and Space, recently discussed the Euclid payload module (PLM) and its role in the Euclid telescope’s mission to map the dark matter and dark energy of the Universe. Brouard explained the technology behind Euclid and highlighted its ability to simultaneously observe the sky in both infrared and visible wavelengths. The cooling mechanisms of Euclid, which are crucial for maintaining its functionality in space, were also emphasized. Brouard demonstrated how light

The European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket has successfully undergone a hot-fire test, simulating the conditions of an actual launch into space. The test, which took place in French Guiana on November 23, 2023, involved the full firing of the rocket’s core stage engine, known as the Vulcain 2.1. During the seven-minute test, the engine burned through 150,000 kilograms of supercooled liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel. The successful completion of

Jean-Charles Cuillandre, an astronomer specializing in wide-field imaging, has joined Space Team Europe for the Euclid mission. Cuillandre was involved in selecting celestial targets for Euclid’s ‘Early Release Observations’ and processing the data. The full-color images captured by Euclid left him speechless, showcasing the telescope’s scientific potential. The Euclid Consortium, consisting of over 2000 scientists from 300 institutes, will analyze Euclid’s data to unravel the mysteries of the

LandSpace, the Chinese aerospace company, is preparing for its third launch as it unveils an upgraded version of its methane-based rocket, ZhuQue-2. The rocket made history on its second flight by becoming the first methane-based rocket to reach orbit successfully. Despite a setback in its previous launch, the rocket still claimed the title of being the first to use methane propellant to reach space. The upcoming launch’s payload remains unknown, but LandSpace is generating excitement among space enthusiasts. In addition,

Virgin Galactic’s suborbital space plane, VSS Unity, recently completed its second mission as a science laboratory. Crewmember Kellie Gerardi shared her experience and the extensive training she underwent to conduct commercial suborbital research. Gerardi’s journey began when she volunteered at the Explorers Club in New York City, where she met Richard Garriott de Cayeux and was introduced to the concept of commercial spaceflight. Inspired by democratizing access to space, Gerardi pursued a career

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently conducted a full-duration test of the main engine of Ariane 6, a new rocket developed by the agency. Although the test model did not leave the ground, it provided valuable insights into the rocket’s performance and set the stage for future missions. The main engine, known as Vulcain, was fueled by a combination of oxygen and hydrogen propellants, creating an impressive display of power and precision. The successful completion of the test brings ESA one step

University College Dublin students, with the support of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Education Office, have successfully built Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1. The 2-unit CubeSat will carry out three experiments, including a gamma ray detector to study powerful cosmic events. The project began in 2017 when the team was accepted into the ESA Academy Fly Your Satellite! program. After years of hard work and rigorous testing at ESA sites, EIRSAT-1 is now ready for