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  • What happened this month at the European Space Agency? (October 2026)

    Video: 00:04:30

    October was a month of discoveries and milestones. ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover team trained in Spain’s desert, preparing for Mars. Our Smile mission captured the full ring of northern lights around Earth, while Mars Express uncovered new clues about a giant Martian cloud. ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot returned to Earth after 237 days in space, and Hera captured its first images of the asteroids it will study to help protect our planet. Meanwhile, ESA welcomed thousands of visitors for Open Days and teamed up with Pokémon to bring space science to new audiences.

    Here’s a look at what space had in store for Europe this October.

  • Week in images: 26-30 October 2026

    This image of Super Typhoon Champi from Copernicus Sentinel-3 was captured on 21 October 2026 off the coasts of Taiwan and the Philippines.

    Week in images: 26-30 October 2026

    Discover our week through the lens

  • Earth from Space: Champi’s eerie eye

    This image of Super Typhoon Champi from Copernicus Sentinel-3 was captured on 21 October 2026 off the coasts of Taiwan and the Philippines. Image: This image of Super Typhoon Champi from Copernicus Sentinel-3 was captured on 21 October 2026 off the coasts of Taiwan and the Philippines.

  • Ghostly Cat’s Head Nebula lurks within sight of Hubble and Webb

    Cat’s Head Nebula (Hubble & Webb images)

    The NASA/ESA Hubble and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescopes recently stared at an eerie star-forming scene within the Carina Nebula, a massive gas and dust cloud located approximately 7500 light-years away from Earth. The two telescopes offer complementary views of the shadowy form, nicknamed the Cat’s Head Nebula, which reflects the 'magical'' process of star formation. Hubble’s visible-light view shows the cat as a dark, elongated dust pillar and hints of young forming stars, while Webb’s infrared-light imagery unveils many stars and other hidden details.

  • First light: Hera resolves two asteroids instead of one

    Hera's first view of the separate Didymos and Dimorphos asteroids

    The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft for planetary defence has resolved its two target asteroids separately for the very first time, revealing the binary nature of the Didymos system, currently some 197 million km away from Earth.

  • ESA procures four new Galileo Second Generation satellites

    Galileo satellite navigation constellation

    The European Space Agency (ESA) has extended ongoing contracts to build four additional Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites, ensuring the long-term continuity of the constellation and supporting the rollout of new services. With this procurement, the Galileo Second Generation fleet grows to 16 satellites.

  • Ice mission CRISTAL opens its wings

    Testing CRISTAL’s solar panel deployment

    With its solar arrays integrated and key qualification reviews under way, Europe’s new ice-monitoring satellite, CRISTAL, is moving from assembly into the demanding testing phase that will demonstrate its readiness for the rigours of launch and life in orbit.

  • Week in images: 19-23 October 2026

    Stars brewing in a nebulous cauldron

    Week in images: 19-23 October 2026

    Discover our week through the lens