Press Releases — 2018

ESA’s Earth Explorer Aeolus satellite has been launched into polar orbit on a Vega rocket. Using revolutionary laser technology, Aeolus will measure winds around the globe and play a key role in our quest to better understand the workings of our atmosphere. Importantly, this novel mission will also improve weather forecasting.

ESA’s Aeolus mission, which will use revolutionary laser technology to measure winds around the globe, is set for launch on 21 August from Europe’s Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. Media representatives are invited to the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, to follow the launch of this latest Earth Explorer satellite.

Four more Galileo satellites were launched today by an Ariane 5. Their arrival in orbit brings the Galileo constellation to 26 satellites, extending the global coverage of the constellation. Ariane 5 flight VA244, operated by Arianespace under contract to ESA, lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:25 GMT (13:25 CEST, 08:25 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 23–26. The first pair of 715 kg satellites was released almost 3 hours 36 minutes after liftoff, while the second pair separated 20 minutes later.

The last four Galileo satellites of the second FOC (Full Operational Capability) batch are scheduled for launch on 25 July at 11:25 GMT (13:25 CEST, 08:25 local time) from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on an Ariane 5 rocket, designated Flight VA244 by Arianespace.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signature of the Baveno Manifesto, a special event has been organised by the European Commission in partnership with ESA and with the support of the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research.

The second Sentinel-3 satellite, Copernicus Sentinel-3B, was launched today, joining its identical twin Sentinel-3A in orbit. This pairing of satellites increases coverage and data delivery for the European Union’s Copernicus environment programme.

Completing the constellation of the first set of Sentinel missions, the launch of Sentinel-3B marks an important milestone for Europe’s Copernicus programme led by the European Commission. With the satellite scheduled to liftoff from Russia’s Plesetsk Cosmodrome on 25 April at 17:57 GMT (19:57 CEST), media representatives are invited to follow this landmark event at the ILA Berlin Air Show or at ESA’s Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany.

Media are invited to a guided tour in the Portsmouth cleanrooms of Airbus in the company of ESA astronaut Tim Peake, on Monday 26 February to see Eutelsat Quantum, a pioneering mission in space telecommunications.