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Press Releases — 2015

Published by the ESA Newsroom and Media Relations

email: media @ esa.int (Media inquiries only)

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Press Release N° 52–2015
Applications

Galileo’s dozen: 12 satellites now in orbit

The pace of deploying Europe’s own satellite navigation system continued to increase with today’s launch of the latest pair of Galileo satellites, doubling the number of satellites in space within nine months.
17/12/2015 1101 views
Open
Press Release N° 51–2015
Science & Exploration

ESA astronaut Tim Peake begins six-month stay on Space Station

ESA astronaut Tim Peake, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut commander Yuri Malenchenko arrived at the International Space Station today, six hours after their launch at 11:03 GMT.
15/12/2015 633 views
Open
Press Release N° 50–2015
Applications

Call for Media: Briefing on the European Data Relay System SpaceDataHighway

A special briefing on the European Data Relay System will be held on 15 January, after ESA Director General Jan Woerner’s annual meeting of the press in ESA HQ, Paris.
11/12/2015 681 views
Open
Press Release N° 49–2015
Agency

Call for Media: ESA DG’s annual introduction and EDRS information session

On Friday, 15 January, ESA Director General Jan Woerner will meet the media to provide an overview of ESA’s achievements in 2015 and the opportunities ahead in 2016. The briefing will take place at ESA headquarters.
11/12/2015 962 views
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Press Release N° 48–2015
Applications

Call for Media: Press briefing on launch of Galileo satellites 11/12

The next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched together on 17 December, concluding a year that will double the number of Galileo satellites in orbit. Media are invited to take part in an audio briefing on 16 December.
08/12/2015 916 views
Open
Press Release N° 47–2015
Agency

LISA Pathfinder en route to gravitational wave demonstration

ESA's LISA Pathfinder lifted off earlier today on a Vega rocket from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on its way to demonstrate technology for observing gravitational waves from space.
03/12/2015 921 views
Open
Press Release N° 46–2015
Agency

VV06 countdown resumed for launch scheduled on 3 December 2015

Checks carried out for ESA’s LISA Pathfinder mission have provided satisfactory results.
02/12/2015 1162 views
Open
Press Release N° 45–2015
Agency

VV06 launch postponed

During the final step of VV06 launch campaign, a technical issue on the Vega launch vehicle required additional analysis. The launch initially scheduled for December 2, 2015 is postponed. 
01/12/2015 11727 views
Open
Press Release N° 44–2015
Space Safety

Call for Media: LISA Pathfinder launch

LISA Pathfinder, ESA’s technology demonstrator for detecting gravitational-waves, is set for launch on 2 December at 04:15 GMT (05:15 CET) on a Vega rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Media representatives can follow the launch online and attend the event in ESA’s operations centre, ESOC, in Darmstadt, Germany.
23/11/2015 1271 views
Open
Press Release N° 43–2015
Agency

Senior management team proposed at ESA

At an extraordinary meeting of the ESA Council held in Paris in restricted session on 21 November 2015, Council approved the Director General’s proposal for the future senior management team of ESA set out below. It is planned that the new senior management team will take up duty in early 2016.
21/11/2015 12596 views
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Press Release N° 42–2015
Applications

FLEX mission to be next ESA Earth Explorer

ESA’s Member States have selected FLEX as the eighth Earth Explorer mission, upon recommendation from the Earth Science Advisory Committee.
19/11/2015 4895 views
Open
Press Release N° 41–2015
Science & Exploration

Call for Media: ExoMars 2016 leaving Europe for launch site

The ESA–Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 spacecraft are ready to depart Europe for the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, to prepare for their launch in March.
16/11/2015 990 views
Open
Press Release N° 40–2015
Agency

Call for Media: Opportunity to talk to astronaut Tim Peake before he sets off for space

On 6 November, ESA’s first British astronaut, Tim Peake, will be paying his last visit to the UK before his launch to the International Space Station. He will take part in a news conference at the Science Museum London to discuss his upcoming mission.
02/11/2015 1455 views
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Press Release N° 39–2015
Applications

The Climate Cube on the Champs-Elysées in Paris

Many locals and visitors to Paris are discovering a strange, large cube sitting on the Champs-Elysées.
20/10/2015 3154 views
Open
Press Release N° 38–2015
Applications

Call for Media: The last chance to see Sentinel-3

ESA, the European Commission, Eumetsat and Thales Alenia Space are inviting media to view the completed Sentinel 3A satellite in Cannes, France, on 15 October.
09/10/2015 1250 views
Open
Press Release N° 37–2015
Agency

Agreement paves the way for MetOp Second Generation

Today, ESA and Eumetsat signed a Cooperation Agreement that secures the continued development of the MetOp Second Generation satellites, which will start providing meteorological observations from polar orbit in mid-2021.
05/10/2015 2272 views
Open
Press Release N° 36–2015
Applications

Call for Media: Signing of MetOp-SG cooperation agreement

Media representatives are invited to an event for the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between ESA and EUMETSAT on the MetOp Second Generation series of meteorological satellites.
30/09/2015 1238 views
Open
Press Release N° 35–2015
Agency

Andreas Mogensen lands after a busy mission on Space Station

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Soyuz spacecraft commander Gennady Padalka and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov landed this morning at 00:51 GMT (02:51 CEST 12 September) in the steppe of Kazakhstan, marking the end of their missions to the International Space Station.
12/09/2015 782 views
Open
Press Release N° 34–2015
Agency

Galileo taking flight: ten satellites now in orbit

Europe’s own satellite navigation system has come a step nearer to completion today, with Galileo 9 and 10 which lifted off together at 02:08 GMT on 11 September (04:08 CEST; 23:08 local time, 10 September) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, atop a Soyuz launcher.
11/09/2015 661 views
Open
Press Release N° 33–2015
Agency

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen begins busy International Space Station tour

ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen arrived at the International Space Station today after a two-day flight with Soyuz spacecraft commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.
03/09/2015 641 views
Open
Press Release N° 32–2015
Applications

Call For Media: Press briefing on launch of Galileo satellites 9/10

The next two satellites in Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched together on 11 September, taking its orbital constellation a step closer to initial services. Media are invited to take part in an audio briefing on 10 September.
28/08/2015 865 views
Open
Press Release N° 31–2015
Space Safety

Call for Media: LISA Pathfinder leaving for launch site

Slated for launch by Vega in November, ESA’s gravitational-wave detection technology demonstrator is ready to begin launch preparations in September at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Members of the media are invited to join ESA and Airbus Defence and Space at IABG’s space test centre in Ottobrunn, near Munich, Germany, to get a final glimpse of LISA Pathfinder before it departs to the launch site.
19/08/2015 748 views
Open
Press Release N° 30–2015
Enabling & Support

Ariane 6 and Vega C begin development

Today, ESA signed contracts for the development of the Ariane 6 new‑generation launcher, its launch base and the Vega C evolution of the current ESA small launcher.
12/08/2015 1047 views
Open
Press Release N° 29–2015
Agency

MSG-4, Europe’s latest weather satellite, delivers first image

Today, the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument on MSG-4 captured its first image of Earth. This demonstrates that Europe’s latest geostationary weather satellite, launched on 15 July, is performing well and is on its way to becoming fully operational when needed after six months of commissioning.
04/08/2015 2889 views
Open
Press Release N° 28–2015
Agency

Third spaceflight for astronaut Paolo Nespoli

ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli will be heading for space a third time, as part of Expeditions 52 and 53 to the International Space Station. He will be launched on a Soyuz vehicle in May 2017 on a five-month mission.
30/07/2015 454 views
Open
Press Release N° 27–2015
Applications

ESA hands over control of the MSG-4 weather satellite to EUMETSAT

On 26 July at 11:30 CEST, EUMETSAT took control of Europe’s last Meteosat Second Generation weather satellite, MSG-4. This follows the successful launch of the satellite on 15 July aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, and the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) carried out by ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, ESOC, on EUMETSAT’s behalf.
27/07/2015 700 views
Open
Press Release N° 26–2015
Applications

Call for Media: Presentation of Sentinel-2 first images and demonstration of applications

Media representatives are invited to a presentation of potential applications using the early images from the second satellite in orbit for the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme.
17/07/2015 2105 views
Open
Press Release N° 25–2015
Applications

Europe’s MSG-4 weather satellite delivered into orbit

The last weather satellite in Europe’s highly successful Meteosat Second Generation series lifted off on an Ariane 5 launcher at 21:42 GMT (23:42 CEST) on 15 July from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
16/07/2015 499 views
Open
Press Release N° 24–2015
Applications

Flags are raised at ESA’s first UK centre

Jan Woerner, ESA Director General, and Jo Johnson, UK Minister of State for Universities and Science, today watched ESA Member States’ flags rise for the first time at the Agency’s first centre in the UK. 
09/07/2015 757 views
Open
Press Release N° 23–2015
Applications

Call for media: First ESA facility in UK - a catalyst for growth

On Thursday 9 July, ESA, the European Space Agency, European government leaders and space sector representatives will come together to inaugurate new ESA facilities and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories at the UK Space Gateway in Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire.
02/07/2015 1977 views
Open
Press Release N° 22–2015
Agency

Johann-Dietrich Woerner is new ESA Director General

As of today, 1 July 2015, ESA has a new Director General: Johann-Dietrich Woerner, who has taken up duty at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France.
01/07/2015 663 views
Open
Press Release N° 21–2015
Applications

Second Copernicus environmental satellite safely in orbit

The ESA-developed Sentinel satellite  – Sentinel-2A- was launched today, adding a high-resolution optical imaging capability to the European Union Copernicus environmental monitoring system.
23/06/2015 864 views
Open
Press Release N° 20–2015
Science & Exploration

Rosetta's lander Philae wakes up from hibernation

Rosetta's lander Philae has woken up after seven months in hibernation on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
14/06/2015 3338 views
Open
Press Release N° 19–2015
Agency

New Chairship of the Council of ESA

In view of the tragic  and sudden passing of the Council Chair, Harald Posch, Council has elected Bo Andersen of Norway and Jean Yves Le Gall of France as Co-Chairs. A Deputy will be named by Austria at a later date.
12/06/2015 986 views
Open
Press Release N° 18–2015
Applications

Call for Media: New satellite for unprecedented Earth monitoring

Sentinel-2A, the first optical imaging satellite in the EU’s Copernicus programme, is set for launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 01:52 GMT 23 June (03:52 CEST 23 June; 22:52 local time 22 June) aboard a Vega rocket.
08/06/2015 824 views
Open
Press Release N° 17–2015
Agency

Call for Media: ESA at the Paris Air & Space Show

ESA will be present at the Paris Air & Space Show at Le Bourget with a pavilion offering media and other guests an overview and updates of its activities, 40 years after the signing of the ESA Convention.
05/06/2015 681 views
Open
Press Release N° 16–2015
Agency

Passing of Harald Posch, ESA’s sitting Council Chair

22/05/2015 1563 views
Open
Press Release N° 15–2015
Agency

ESA mourns the loss of Director Antonio Fabrizi

On Saturday 16 May, after a long illness, ESA Director of launchers Antonio Fabrizi passed away in Rome at the age of 67.
18/05/2015 881 views
Open
Press Release N° 14–2015
Science & Exploration

Call for Media: ESA Hosts IAA Planetary Defence Conference 2015

ESA will host the International Academy of Astronautic’s 4th Planetary Defence Conference (PDC 2015), entitled ‘Assessing Impact Risk & Managing Response’, at the Agency’s ESRIN establishment, near Rome, 13–17 April 2015. A media briefing will be held on 16 April 2015.
10/04/2015 1174 views
Open
Press Release N° 13–2015
Applications

Two new satellites join the Galileo constellation

The EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system now has eight satellites in orbit following the launch of the latest pair.
28/03/2015 855 views
Open
Press Release N° 12–2015
Applications

Call for Media: launch of Galileo satellites 7 & 8

Two more satellites for Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system will be launched on 27 March as deployment of the 30-satellite network continues to ramp up. Media are invited to take part in an audio briefing at 13:00 GMT (14:00 CET) on launch day.
20/03/2015 884 views
Open
Press Release N° 11–2015
Applications

European Data Relay System confirms services for Copernicus in cooperation with the European Commission

Following the recent decision confirming the ESA/Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) partnership on the European Data Relay System (EDRS), agreement has been reached with the European Commission (EC) for the provision of EDRS services to the European Union Copernicus programme.
25/02/2015 835 views
Open
Press Release N° 10–2015
Agency

Hungary accedes to ESA Convention

Hungary signed the Accession Agreement to the ESA Convention on 24 February 2015. Upon ratification, Hungary will become the 22nd ESA Member State.
24/02/2015 756 views
Open
Press Release N° 9–2015
Applications

ESA’s Biomass satellite goes ahead

Following the initial selection in 2013 for Biomass to become ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer mission and the completion of preparatory activities, ESA Member States yesterday gave the green light for its full implementation for launch in 2020.
19/02/2015 1098 views
Open
Press Release N° 8–2015
Science & Exploration

Last ATV reentry leaves legacy for future space exploration

ESA’s fifth automated cargo ferry completed its mission to the International Space Station today when it reentered the atmosphere and burned up safely over an uninhabited area of the southern Pacific Ocean.
15/02/2015 989 views
Open
Press Release N° 7–2015
Applications

Call for Media: Last chance to see Sentinel-2 satellite

ESA and the European Commission together with Airbus Defence and Space and the IABG test centre are inviting media to view the Sentinel‑2A satellite in Ottobrunn, Germany on 24 February.
13/02/2015 1492 views
Open
Press Release N° 6–2015
Enabling & Support

ESA experimental spaceplane completes research flight

An experimental vehicle to develop an autonomous European reentry capability for future reusable space transportation has completed its mission. ESA’s Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle flew a flawless reentry and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean just west of the Galapagos islands.
11/02/2015 3988 views
Open
Press Release N° 5–2015
Agency

Estonia accedes to ESA Convention

Estonia took a step further in its relations with ESA by signing the Accession Agreement to the ESA Convention on 4 February 2015, to become the 21st ESA Member State.
04/02/2015 6025 views
Open
Press Release N° 4–2015
Applications

ESA and Airbus DS confirm partnership to complete the full European Data Relay System

This decision follows the successful test campaign of the first multigigabit optical intersatellite link between the Copernicus Sentinel-1A and Alphasat satellites. This campaign, a precursor of the European Data Relay System, or EDRS, has paved the way for an entirely new approach of delivering data, with space systems becoming part of the global Big Data challenge.
30/01/2015 1161 views
Open
Press Release N° 3–2015
Enabling & Support

Call for Media: ESA's experimental spaceplane set for flight

ESA's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle is ready for its launch and reentry mission on 11 February. The launch is scheduled for 13:00 GMT (14:00 CET) atop a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Media representatives are invited to follow the launch online or attend events in Italy, Germany or Spain.
29/01/2015 633 views
Open
Press Release N° 2–2015
Agency

ESA and Airbus Defence and Space to decide on the route to proceed with EDRS completion.

Following intense work during the past weeks between all partners involved with the EDRS programme, in particular the European Commission, ESA and Airbus, the business prospects of EDRS have been consolidated.
26/01/2015 1684 views
Open
Press Release N° 1–2015
Agency

ESA activities in 2015 of interest to media

ESA is one of the few space agencies in the world to combine competences and responsibilities for all domains of space, from science to applications.
16/01/2015 2266 views
Open

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