ESA Top Multimedia

Flight and satellite tracks in Arctic campaign

As sea ice continues to succumb to the climate crisis, measuring its decline with precision has never been more urgent. To meet this challenge, the European Space Agency is developing three new Copernicus satellites, each employing distinct but complementary techniques to monitor this fragile component of the Earth system. To ensure the data from these new satellites are razor-sharp, an international team of hardy scientists is now out on the Arctic sea ice braving the cold and flying above to collect critical in situ measurements.

Through coordinated measurements on the ice and from the air, the teams are collecting critical data to improve the upcoming CIMR, CRISTAL and ROSE-L mission’s retrieval methods and help ensure these important upcoming satellites deliver accurate and reliable observations of the polar environment.

The video shows two flight tracks and several satellite tracks during the field campaign.

Read full article: Braving the Arctic for upcoming polar-focused satellites

Inchworm-inspired soft robot

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg developed an inchworm-inspired soft robot as part of an ESA Discovery activity exploring new approaches to soft robot locomotion for planetary exploration. The robot uses a rolled dielectric elastomer actuator – a type of artificial muscle – to mimic the inchworm's contracting and extending motion, and is designed to be lightweight, power-efficient and resilient enough to operate in the harsh conditions of space.

Antarctica environmental change reflects ice loss in Greenland

Recent changes observed in Antarctica show some characteristics in common with changes to the Greenland Ice Sheet.

A new grip on space: electrostatic capture technology

A Saturday‑night dinner onboard the International Space Station

After an intense few weeks the crew took time to celebrate together with a shared meal proposed by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.

It’s a long‑standing tradition: each ESA astronaut works with a chef to create a few special dishes reserved for rare occasions — known as “bonus food”. Sophie’s bonus food was created by multi‑Michelin‑starred chef Anne‑Sophie Pic, offering the crew a taste of French gastronomy far from Earth.

Bonus food, tailored to specific crew members, makes up around one tenth of an astronaut’s menu. Astronauts say it adds variety to their meals, supports mental well‑being, and helps strengthen bonds among the crew in orbit.

Everyday operations in orbit: toilet maintenance

In this timelapse, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot performs routine maintenance on the Waste and Hygiene Compartment, or WHC – the ISS toilet system. She is replacing the full solid-waste container in which solid waste is vacuum-dried, compressed and kept airtight. This operation typically takes place once or twice a week, when the container reaches capacity.

Earth’s most remote laboratory

Medical doctor Sarah Gaier in the ESA lab at Concordia station in Antarctia.

Plato enters special space-like chamber

This timelapse video captures the activities to move Plato into the Large Space Simulator (LSS) at ESA’s Test Centre. Inside the LSS, Europe's largest cryo-vacuum chamber, Plato had to demonstrate that it can withstand the extreme temperatures and vacuum of space.

In the video we see how engineers used a special crane to lift Plato out of a cleanroom through an opening in the ceiling and move it over the top opening of the LSS. Then, the spacecraft was gently lowered into the dark-walled chamber, all the way down to a supporting frame that holds the spacecraft in place.

Once the chamber’s top and side hatches were sealed, engineers began a series of vital tests of the spacecraft under space‑like conditions.

Many of the tests were designed to verify that Plato’s 26 cameras performed as required for achieving the mission’s main goal: to discover potentially habitable, Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars.

In the video, Plato’s delicate cameras are covered with a blanket to protect them from stray dust particles.

English

From 13 to 17 April, ESA’s Centre for Earth Observation in Frascati, ESRIN, hosted the 2026 edition of ESA School Days, welcoming students from across Italy for a week dedicated to space and science.

Throughout the week, participants took part in presentations, interactive laboratories and hands-on activities, exploring how ESA studies our planet and the wider Universe. Activities included: sessions dedicated to European launchers, Ariane 6 and Vega C, as well as the future reusable vehicle Space Rider, model rocket launch demonstrations, as well as meteorite and asteroid workshops and guided visits to the Earth Observation Multimedia Centre. This initiative aimed to inspire younger generations by raising awareness of scientific research, environmental protection and climate change, while fostering curiosity, teamwork and interest in STEM disciplines. The event was organised with contributions from ESERO Italia and the Italian Space Agency.

Italiano

Dal 13 al 17 aprile, ESRIN, il Centro dell’Agenzia Spaziale Europea dedicato ai Programmi di Osservazione della Terra a Frascati, ha ospitato l’edizione 2026 degli ESA School Days, accogliendo studenti provenienti da tutta Italia per una settimana dedicata allo spazio e alla scienza.

Durante la settimana, i partecipanti hanno preso parte a presentazioni, laboratori interattivi ed esperienze pratiche, esplorando come l’ESA studia la Terra e indaga l’Universo. Tra le attività: sessioni dedicate ai lanciatori europei, Ariane 6 e Vega C ed al futuro veicolo riutilizzabile Space Rider, dimostrazioni di lancio di razzi-modello, laboratori su meteoriti e asteroidi e visite guidate al Centro Multimediale di Osservazione della Terra. L’iniziativa ha avuto l’obiettivo di ispirare le giovani generazioni, sensibilizzandole su temi come la ricerca scientifica, la tutela dell’ambiente e il cambiamento climatico, promuovendo curiosità, lavoro di squadra e interesse verso le discipline STEM. L’evento è stato realizzato con il contributo di ESERO Italia e dell’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana.

Space Rider drop model assembly

The first full-size test model of the European Space Agency’s reusable spacecraft Space Rider is complete is now complete. This video shows the model being finalised at the Italian Aerospace Research Centre in Capua, Italy.

The drop-test model was built in Craiova, Romania, at Romania’s National Institute for Aerospace Research ‘Elie Carafoli’ (INCAS) before being shipped to the Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) in Capua, Italy. CIRA is responsible for the design, integration, and implementation of the drop test.

Roughly the size of a mini-van, the drop-test model is a full-size stand-in for the 4.6-m long reentry module, Space Rider lands on skis with the landing gear permanently open on this model as the mechanism is not part of the drop test.

Space Rider is set to be the first reusable European spacecraft. The uncrewed robotic laboratory will stay in low orbit for about two months. Space Rider’s cargo bay will allow for all manner of experiments and operations to be run. At the end of its missions, Space Rider reentry module will return to Earth, gliding under a parafoil to land on a runway.

Explore the Trifid Nebula

“Fly” through the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s view of the Trifid Nebula. The video “floats” over the ridges of gas and dust and moves up toward Herbig-Haro 399, at the top of a brown cloud that resembles a head with horns.

The thinner, irregular line pointing left formed from the ejections of an actively forming star.

To its left is a small, faint pillar. Much of this pillar’s gas and dust has been blown away, but the densest material at the top persists.

Access the video on esahubble.org.

FLEX in tandem with Sentinel-3

Using cutting-edge technology, ESA’s FLEX mission is designed to reveal new insights into how plants function by measuring the faint fluorescence they emit during photosynthesis. Although invisible to the human eye, this signal changes with environmental conditions and plant health – allowing scientists to assess vegetation health, and stress.

FLEX orbits in tandem with one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites, which provides critical information on the atmosphere such as clouds, aerosols and water vapour as well as information about the land surface, such as the surface temperature and type of land cover and additional vegetation parameters. This integrated package of quasi-concurrent measurements promises to enable an unprecedented view of global vegetation function and status.

Tidying up the Columbus module

This timelapse shows ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot tidying the European Columbus laboratory aboard the International Space Station. Keeping the Station organised is crucial for crew safety and smooth operations, ensuring that science and maintenance can continue without interruption.

Every item has its place, and as crews rotate every few months, ground teams play an important role in helping locate any item needed for an experiment or a maintenance task.

Behind the scenes: Filming in microgravity

During her free time onboard the International Space Station, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot records videos exploring many aspects of living and working in a microgravity environment for the εpsilon mission. This timelapse offers a real behind-the-scenes look at a filming session.

First-of-its-kind ship-to-ship call

The first‑of‑its‑kind ship‑to‑ship call between astronauts on deep‑space and low Earth orbit missions.On 7 April, the Artemis II crew of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, together with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, spoke with Expedition 74 astronauts Chris Williams, Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir of NASA, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot aboard the International Space Station.

Cygnus NG-23 closeout

As this timelapse shows, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir worked together readying the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft for its detachment from the Unity module and release into Earth orbit with the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

Sophie configured hardware that enabled Cygnus XL to be disconnected from Unity, then closed the spacecraft’s hatch. Jessica set up the equipment used to depressurize Cygnus XL in advance of its departure.

The cargo vehicle was detached on 12 March 2026 from the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s Unity module and released from the Canadarm2 robotic arm at 14:06 CET.

Artemis II splashdown

Today, at 17:07 local time (Pacific) on 10 April (01:07 BST/02:07 CEST on 11 April), NASA's Orion spacecraft and its crew splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean, marking the successful end of the Artemis II mission, humankind's first journey around the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

ESA's European Service Module powered the spacecraft over 1 million kilometres through in deep space, providing air and water for the astronauts, generating electrical power via its four solar arrays, maintaining thermal control and delivering propulsion.

Mostly built by European industry under ESA leadership, the European Service Module was assembled by Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen, Germany, with contributions from companies across 13 European countries, involving 20 main contractors and over 100 European suppliers.

Throughout the mission, European engineers supported operations around the clock from ESA's centres in the Netherlands and Germany, as well as alongside NASA teams in Houston, ensuring Orion and its crew completed their journey safely around the Moon and back home.

Orion Mission Evaluation Room in Houston

European engineers in the Orion Mission Evaluation Room at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

European Service Module mission control at ESTEC

European engineers in the Eagle mission control room at ESA's technical site in the Netherlands

US EVA-94 preparations

Expedition 74 crewmates and NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams conducted an EVA on 18 March to prepare the Station for the installation of another pair of iROSA solar panels.

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway supported the spacewalkers, helping them suit up and closing the hatch behind them – as this timelapse shows.

Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL): SMD PASTA experiment

This timelapse was published by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot on her social media with the following caption:

[EN] Another experiment, and another timelapse! This time, I’m working with the Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL), one of the science facilities inside ESA’s Columbus module.

The experiment is called PASTA-3 and investigates the formation and evolution of emulsions over time when there is no gravity to interfere. Emulsions are mixtures of two or more liquids that do not usually mix, such as oil and water.

During this session, I installed 3 experiment containers with new samples inside the FSL. Each PASTA sample has a different concentration of surfactant (an agent that helps liquids mix) and Xanthan Gum in addition to a water and oil mixture.

This experiment helps scientists better understand and model the fundamental physics of emulsions. That knowledge has numerous applications on Earth, including:
improving food quality and shelf life (milk, dough, mayonnaise, candy…), enhancing the stability and effectiveness of medicines (including vaccines) and cosmetics, optimising processes in industrial and advanced manufacturing sectors (oil, chemicals …).

PASTA-3 is one of the 36 European experiments I get to work on during my mission! Go science!

(PASTA is short for PArticle STAbilised emulsions experiment.)

[FR] Nouvelle expérience, et nouveau timelapse ! Cette fois-ci, cela se passe dans le Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL), l’une des installations scientifiques situées à l’intérieur du module Columbus de l’ESA.

L’expérience s’appelle PASTA 3 : elle étudie la formation et l’évolution des émulsions au fil du temps en l’absence de gravité. Une émulsion, c’est un mélange de deux ou plusieurs liquides qui ne se mélangent pas facilement, comme l’huile et l’eau.

Lors de cette session, j’ai installé trois lots de nouveaux échantillons dans le FSL. Chaque échantillon PASTA présente une concentration différente de tensioactif (un agent qui aide les liquides à se mélanger) et de gomme xanthane, en plus d’un mélange d’eau et d’huile.

Cette expérience aide les scientifiques à mieux comprendre et modéliser la physique fondamentale des émulsions avec à la clé de nombreuses applications sur Terre, comme par exemple:
l’amélioration de la qualité des aliments et de leur durée de conservation (lait, pâte, mayonnaise, confiseries…), le renforcement de la stabilité et de l’efficacité des médicaments (y compris les vaccins) et des cosmétiques, l’optimisation des procédés industriels et de fabrication avancée (pétrole, chimie…).

PASTA 3 est l’une des 36 expériences européennes sur lesquelles j’ai la chance de travailler durant ma mission ! Vive la science !

(PASTA est l’abréviation de PArticle STAbilised emulsions experiment.)

A European powerhouse

Orion's European Service Module with engines and solar arrays on display

Earthset from lunar orbit

Earth sets above the lunar horizon during Artemis II