N° 45–2023: ESA Highlights: September to December 2023
27 September 2023
Editor's note: The target launch date of VV23 was updated following an announcement by Arianespace.
ESA is continuing its streak of key media events in the last months of 2023: the Ariane 6 long hot firing test, several Open Days in ESA establishments and the Space Summit in Sevilla are some of the highlights of the next few months.
The list below gives media representatives an overview of the most important events on the agency’s agenda. Please note that the dates can be subject to change. ESA will keep media informed about the precise dates closer to the actual events.
ESA Open Day at ESRIN, Frascati (Italy)
Date: 29 September 2023
ESA will open its doors to its Earth Observation Centre, ESRIN, on 29 September, as part of its annual ESA Open Day, within the framework of European Researchers’ Night. The aim of European Researchers’ Night is to broaden access to science and research by holding concurrent events all over Europe.
Media registration by 27 September: https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form/
More information: https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Media_invitation_ESA_Open_Day_in_the_framework_of_European_Researchers_Night
Ariane 6 combined tests, long-duration hot firing test of the main stage, Kourou (French Guiana)
Date: TBC
This long-duration test will end with about 8 minutes (470 seconds) of stabilized operation of the Ariane 6 Vulcain 2.1 engine. This test will cover the entire flight phase and will contribute to “flight-ready” qualification of the main stage.
ESA will provide coverage of this long hot firing test from Kourou, French Guyana.
Once it has been completed, ESA will invite media to a briefing on the next steps of the Ariane 6 testing campaign and the expected timeframe of the inaugural launch.
More information: www.esa.int/ariane
Findings of the Independent Enquiry Commission on Vega-C test
Date: 2 October 2023
The Independent Inquiry Commission tasked with analysing the recent results of the static firing test of the Vega-C Zefiro 40 motor, which took place on 28 June 2023, will share its findings on Monday 2 October 2023. The media briefing will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
More information: https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Loss_of_flight_VV22_Independent_Enquiry_Commission_announces_conclusions
Vega VV23 launch, Kourou (French Guiana)
Date: 7 October 2023
The next Vega launch is expected to take place on Friday, October 6, 2023 at 10:36 p.m. local time (October 7, at 01:36 a.m. UTC), from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. This Arianespace mission, known as VV23, will place its satellite passengers into sun-synchronous orbit.
VV23 will carry two ESA auxiliary passengers: ESA’s PROBA V-CC carrying a scaled-down version of the vegetation-monitoring instrument aboard the Earth-observing PROBA-V satellite, and ESA’s PRETTY satellite (Passive REflecTomeTry and dosimetry), used to measure the extent of ice and sea heights as well as ocean currents.
This will be the launcher’s second to last flight. Its retirement is foreseen for 2024. It is a 100% European vehicle.
More information: https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Launch_vehicles/Vega_launcher
ESA Open Day at ESTEC, Noordwijk (Netherlands)
Date: 8 October 2023
ESA will open its doors to its Technical Centre, ESTEC, on 8 October, marking its 12th annual ESA Open Day in the Netherlands.
ESA astronauts (NL) and (DE) and Member of the ESA Astronaut Reserve (UK) will be available for interviews, among other highlights. As part of the Open Day, media are also invited to visit the largest satellite test centre in Europe which is currently hosting Hera, ESA’s upcoming planetary defence mission.
More information: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESTEC/Open_Day_2023/ESA_Open_Day_at_ESTEC_2023_Registration_now_open
317th ESA Council, Paris (France)
Date: 18-19 October 2023
The ESA Council will hold its 317th session on 18 and 19 October 2023 in Paris. A media information session on the decisions of the Council is expected to take place on 19 October 2023. The Council is ESA's governing body and provides the basic policy guidelines within which ESA develops the European space programme.
ESA Open Day at ESAC, Madrid (Spain)
Date: 21 October 2023
The Open Day at ESAC will include exhibitions of ESA’s famous science missions (Juice, Bepi-Colombo, Gaia, James Webb and Euclid, to name a few). There will be activities for children and discoveries to be made about icy moons and space debris. Thanks to Virtual Reality, visitors will have the chance to step into the future and put themselves in the shoes of an astronaut exploring the Universe. There will also be opportunities to observe the Sun through ESAC's telescope and visit the control room to learn how scientists and engineers operate space missions. For further information, send an email to comunicacionesac@esa.int.
More information:
ESA Space Summit, Sevilla (Spain)
Date: 6-7 November 2023
Leaders will identify how to raise Europe’s space ambitions during a high-level summit to be held on 6th and 7th November in Seville, Spain. At the event, ESA will elaborate a European strategy for exploration, transportation and sustainability in and from space. Unlocking the full potential of space to improve life on Earth will help to secure prosperity, competitive advantage and talent for Europe and its citizens, and enable Europe to assert its rightful place in the world.
More information: https://vision.esa.int/category/ambition/revolution-space/
Media Opportunity with ESA's First Project Astronaut Marcus Wandt at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany
Date: 15 November 2023
More information: https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_proposes_Marcus_Wandt_from_Sweden_to_fly_on_a_future_Axiom_space_mission
Updates on launches and other events will also be published on the ESA Newsroom Calendar:
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Calendar
Contact
For further questions or interview requests, please contact media@esa.int.
Images
https://photolibrary.esa.int/home-page/
Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images
For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.
Videos
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos
Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions
For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.
Social Media
Follow ESA on
X: @ESA
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency
YouTube: ESA
About the European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organization, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.
ESA has established formal cooperation with five Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int
For further information:
ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office
Email: media@esa.int