ESA Top Multimedia

At approximately 18:55 CET (17:55 UTC) on Sunday 8 March 2026, a very bright fireball moving from the southwest to the northeast was observed by many people in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

The fireball glowed for approximately six seconds, leaving a visible trail in the sky before fracturing into pieces. The event was recorded by many dedicated meteor cameras, such as those of the European AllSky7 fireball network, as well as mobile phones and other cameras. Some observers report that the event was audible from the ground.

The Planetary Defence team in ESA’s Space Safety Programme is using all available data to estimate the size of the object. They currently assess it to have been a few metres in diameter. Objects in this size range strike Earth from once every few weeks to once every few years.

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot began her training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, where she studied spacecraft systems and crew operations — learning to think and act as an astronaut. Alongside this, she conditioned her body for spaceflight and prepared for the physical and operational demands of her mission.

Her preparation includes continuous medical training and support, neutral buoyancy training for spacewalks and immersive virtual reality sessions at ESA’s XR Lab.

This video features interviews with Bimba Hoyer, Flight Surgeon at ESA; Hervé Stevenin, Head of EVA & Parabolic Flight Training Unit and Head of the Neutral Buoyancy Facility; and Lionel Ferra, Software and Artificial Intelligence Team Leader at ESA.

During her mission aboard the International Space Station, Sophie Adenot will carry out a series of European-led experiments focused on health and crew autonomy.
Among them is the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D), a compact and versatile in-flight exercise system designed to support the future of human exploration. The mission also includes experiments conducted in collaboration with CADMOS, CNES’ centre dedicated to human spaceflight and microgravity research.
Alongside her scientific work, Sophie will contribute to several educational initiatives. Through ChlorISS (with CNES), she will grow seeds aboard the ISS while more than 260,000 students in over 4,000 schools replicate the experiment in their classrooms.
Students can also participate in the European Astro Pi Challenge, programming computers on the ISS to collect real orbital data, and in Mission X, where they train like astronauts through science and fitness challenges that promote healthy lifestyles on Earth and in space.
This video features interviews with Tobias Weber, Space Medicine Scientist at ESA, and Rémi Canton, Project Manager for Human Spaceflight at CADMOS.

The εpsilon name and patch reflect the power of small, yet impactful contributions and how multiple parts unite to create a whole. In mathematics, “ε” represents something small. In the extensive collaborative effort of space exploration, involving thousands of participants, all roles, including the astronaut's role, stay small yet meaningful.

Asteroids are ancient space rocks left over from the formation of the Solar System. They are thought to have brought complex molecules, and possibly early life, to Earth billions of years ago.

As inhabitants of our planet, we must learn how to keep ourselves and Earth safe from any future impacts that might pose a threat.

Planetary defence is an essential element of ESA’s Space Safety programme. ESA conducts regular observation campaigns to search the sky for potentially hazardous asteroids. If detected, their orbits are calculated and predicted and, if necessary, impact warnings are issued

ESA is also working on mitigation measures – including space missions. 

Learn more about Planetary Defence at ESA.

The Greta engine firing up on a new mobile test stand in Trauen, Germany. Greta was ignited multiple times from July to November 2025 and showed stable operations, including controlled shutdowns. During the test campaign the engine fired continuously for over 40 seconds at a time.

The Greta project, part of the European Space Agency’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme is developing a 5 kN thrust class rocket engine that can be restarted reliably several times.

Greta uses hydrogen peroxide and ethanol as propellants, a more sustainable alternative with a lower carbon footprint compared to monomethyl hydrazine propellant used by most traditional rocket engines in this thrust range.

Greta was tested on a new, low-cost and versatile mobile test stand with instruments measuring data such as pressure and temperature, which will be used to further optimise the engine.

Greta’s 30-cm high combustion chamber is built up in layers by melting metal powders with a laser. This technique allows for complex shapes to be made that would be difficult to achieve with conventional metallurgy. For example, the Greta engine is cooled by passing fluid through complex channels built into the engine as close as possible to the inner wall of the chamber which is in contact with the hot – over 2000°C – combustion gases.

ArianeGroup in Ottobrunn, Germany is the prime contractor for Greta. This type of engine could be used on lunar landers or on kick stages, such as Astris that is being developed for Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket.