Every 18 months or so, scientists and sensation-seekers gather at set points on Earth’s surface, to await awe-inspiring solar eclipses. The Moon briefly blocks the Sun, revealing its mysterious outer atmosphere, the corona. Though what if researchers could induce such eclipses at will? That’s the scientific vision behind ESA’s double-satellite Proba-3, the world’s first precision formation-flying mission, planned for launc...

The miniature satellites known as CubeSats already play a variety of roles in space. In future they could also serve as the building blocks of other, larger missions by being docked together in orbit. CubeSats are nanosatellites of standardised dimensions based on multiple 10cm sided cubes, which ESA is employing for both educational and technology-demonstration purposes.

Do you want the opportunity to have your say in suggesting priorities in European space programmes? You can thanks to the first ever Citizens’ Debate on Space for Europe, hosting over 2,000 citizens from 22 European countries on 10th September 2016. Never before has the future of space activities been addressed in such an event held across so many countries.

Years in the making, one of the trickiest pieces of space technology ever developed is finally ready to join its satellite for launch by the end of next year, bringing us another step closer to a better understanding of the Earth’s winds.  Carrying pioneering lasers, Aeolus will be the first satellite to probe the wind globally.

A key feature of the James Webb Space Telescope is helping to shed light on what goes on underneath boats in stormy weather and around the structures of offshore oilrigs. Exploiting the precise positioning abilities of six-legged ‘hexapods’ is enabling a French marine institute to reproduce sea swell in tanks to test wave effects and to qualify instruments for use at sea.

ESA unveiled the first Sentinel-1 satellite images sent via the European Data Relay System's world-leading laser technology in high orbit. The two images were taken by the radar on the Copernicus Sentinel-1A over La Reunion Island and its coastal area. The first was scanned in a high-resolution mode, the second in a wide-swath mode that provides broad coverage of surrounding waters, and used in particular for maritime surveillance.

Satcoms in rural primary schools in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa looks set to expand following the success of a pilot project. Through ESA, the setup provides Internet connectivity and access to eLearning for teachers and students, media content and other online monitoring tools and information via satellite. ESA's Davide Tomassini commented: "The system is reliable, easy to use and is well looked after by the schools.

  A start-up company hosted in an ESA business incubator is developing the world’s first vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for personal use. The electric two-seater will open the door to a new class of simpler, quieter and environmentally friendly planes available from 2018.

A prototype 3D-printed antenna being put to work in ESA's Compact Antenna Test Facility, a shielded chamber for antenna and radio-frequency testing. "This is the Agency's first 3D-printed dual-reflector antenna," explains engineer Maarten van der Vorst, who designed it. "Incorporating a corrugated feedhorn and two reflectors, it has been printed all-in-one in a polymer, then plated with copper to meet its radio-frequency (RF) performance requirem...

Inner-city deliveries in Austria may soon be powered by pollution-free fuel cell technology that is also being explored by ESA for satellites and robotic missions to Mars. Austrian transport specialist HET Engineering has designed a quiet, zero-emission vehicle for sensitive traffic areas. With technical assistance from the DLR German Aerospace Center, the company's Citylog EMF vehicles will be small enough to navigate narrow and congested street...

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced its second SPCD (Space Passive Component Days) to be held at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, from 12-14th October 2016. At this time, industry specialists are encouraged to submit relevant paper abstracts (closing deadline 18th March 2016).