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Anne-Sophie Bradelle, Head of the Communication Department at ESA, explains why it is important for the agency to participate in the International Astronautical Congress 2025, underlining how international cooperation is more vital now than ever.

On 10 September 2025, ESA officially handed over its third European Service Module to NASA. The module will power Orion on Artemis III, the mission set to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years. This event marks a significant milestone, underlining the acceptance of the module by NASA as well as highlighting the dedication of the many teams across Europe and the United States who are bringing the spacecraft to life.

The third European Service Module was integrated by Airbus in Bremen, Germany, with contributions from industry all over Europe. Sailing across the Atlantic, the module arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center last summer, where it was joined with Orion's crew module adapter to form the complete service module. Dr Jan-Hendrik Meiss from Airbus explains the module's progress so far at the Kennedy Space Center.

Orbiting Earth 180 degrees apart, the Scout mission uses a technique called Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflectometry to measure important climate variables such as soil moisture, freeze–thaw state over permafrost, inundation and biomass – all of which are linked to Earth’s water cycle. The mission comprises two identical satellites orbiting 180 degrees apart. Each satellite weighs around 60 kg.

Embracing the New Space concept, HydroGNSS is one of ESA’s new Scout missions being developed within the Earth Observation FutureEO programme.

ESA’s future launcher preparatory programme is crafting a space transportation ecosystem, guiding the companies and engineers of today to develop and test the technologies required to meet future needs.

Space transportation will be moving towards frequent reusable launchers supporting a complete industrial ecosystem around Earth. In the coming decades, the European Space Agency (ESA) foresees transportation hubs in orbit around our planet providing logistic services much like airports or train stations on Earth. These hubs will offer refilling and maintenance services for spacecraft and provide platforms for manufacturing and assembly and in space transportation to other destinations.

To create this new transportation ecosystem, new technology developments are needed, such as automatic rendezvous and capturing of spacecraft, transfer of fuel and payloads between spacecraft, tugging spacecraft to other orbits around Earth or destinations in space.

The end goal for companies working on a proof of concept is to fly a demonstrator mission in space. Together with ESA, industry will get to this point through a process that starts with discussing needs and proposing solutions, and is followed by proving their use-case and collaborating on standards and regulations.  Developing and demonstrating these new technologies is also expected to open commercial opportunities for European space transportation companies.

Finally, the Odyssey project proposes to put all these key technologies together into one package by providing a dedicated service for transport vehicles and spacecraft in orbit: an uncrewed propellant depot offering refilling services. Called Odyssey (a loose abbreviation for Orbital Depot for Your Sustained Space Exploration & beYond) this depot would store propellant brought from visiting supply rockets and distribute it as needed to spacecraft on a stopover to destinations farther away such as the Moon or Mars, or to Earth-orbiting navigation satellites that have used all their propellant and need a refill to extend their working life.

The Odyssey concept, if it can be demonstrated to be viable, would also be a contribution to a more sustainable use of space, by providing important elements of a future circular space economy.

ESA’s Astronaut Reserve Training is a cornerstone of Europe’s growing role in human spaceflight. It reflects ESA’s commitment to preparing a new generation of explorers who can contribute to scientific research, technological advancement, and international cooperation in low Earth orbit and beyond. 

The patch created for the Astronaut Reserve Training is a visual representation of ESA’s values and ambitions.  

At the centre of the patch is a depiction of Europe on a curved planet Earth. A compass star highlights ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC), close to Cologne, Germany. This map symbol marks the geographical heart of European astronaut training and evokes a sense of direction, readiness and exploration — qualities essential for navigating the vastness of space. 

Radiating from the compass star are five streams of light, representing the flow of knowledge, collaboration, innovation, determination and vision that leads Europe from Earth to space. The paths stream upwards to the International Space Station in the centre and other future space stations surrounding it. Together, they reflect ESA’s commitment to operations in low Earth orbit, using the long heritage of the International Space Station as a guide to continue science beyond its lifetime. 

Scattered across a purple graded horizon are twelve stars, representing the twelve members of ESA’s first group of Astronaut Reserves—trailblazers, who, through their training at EAC, stand ready to take on the challenges of future missions.  

Though originally designed to mark the beginning of ESA’s Astronaut Reserve training and its first cohort, the patch now serves as a lasting emblem, symbolising the spirit, purpose and continuity of astronaut preparation in Europe. It also reflects ESA’s ability to evolve and support its Member States’ ambitions, including through new commercial opportunities in human spaceflight. 

ESA’s Astronaut Reserve Training covers several modules of the one-year basic training programme typically completed by ESA career astronauts. The training equips the members of the Astronaut Reserve with the skills needed to support Europe’s future space exploration and scientific research. 

The training includes basic technical and operational skills, spacecraft systems, as well as survival exercises in water and winter conditions for potential emergencies. It also includes spacewalk training familiarisation, such as scuba diving in ESA's Neutral Buoyancy Facility. 

By equipping these individuals with the skills they need, ESA is preparing for the challenges and opportunities of future missions in Earth orbit and beyond. 

Scientists created the most accurate 3D map of star-formation regions in our Milky Way galaxy, based on data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope.

The star-formation region that is mapped out (contoured by a circle) reaches out to 4000 light-years from our Sun. The Sun is located at the centre of this region.

The star-formation map is plotted on an artist impression of our Milky Way, based on Gaia data.

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Teams from ESA, Airbus, NASA and Lockheed Martin stand before the service module for Artemis III at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Last week, ESA officially handed over its third European Service Module to NASA. The module will power Orion on Artemis III, the mission set to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years.

The handover took place on 10 September during the third quarterly European Service Module project meeting of the year at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US. Each European Service Module is the result of thousands of hours of design, engineering and testing, a testament to the scale of teamwork required to bring astronauts safely to the Moon and back. While largely a formality, the event marks a significant milestone, underlining the acceptance of the module by NASA as well as highlighting the dedication of the many teams across Europe and the United States who are bringing the spacecraft to life.  

The third European Service Module was integrated by Airbus in Bremen, Germany, with contributions from industry all over Europe. Sailing across the Atlantic, the module arrived at Kennedy Space Center last summer, where it was joined with Orion’s crew module adapter to form the complete service module. Since then, the module has been through rigorous testing, such as environmental and life support checks, to ensure the overall system is working properly.  

Over the coming months, engineers will install the module’s four solar array wings, developed by Airbus in the Netherlands, and continue vital tests, as well as integrate the service module with Orion’s crew module. 

As Artemis III moves forward, work on earlier and future missions continues. Final preparations for Artemis II are underway, with the mission launch planned by April next year. Meanwhile, the fourth European Service Module is being finalised in Bremen and will be shipped to the United States later this year. 

With the third European Service Module now in NASA’s hands, Europe continues to play a vital role in enabling humankind’s return to deep space exploration.