Everything on Earth – including us – is held down by the force of gravity. Without gravity, we…
The first person to design a rocket that used liquid fuels instead of gunpowder was a Russian schoolteacher…
There is no garage in space. Once a spacecraft has left planet Earth, everyone hopes that all of…
Once a satellite is launched, the success of its mission often depends on the ability to communicate with…
The European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) is linked to a worldwide network of ground stations. After a launch,…
Space junk is a major problem. Some of it is very large, such as burnt-out rocket stages, dead…
Every time Europe’s Ariane 5 lifts off from Kourou, its rocket stages fall into the ocean or burn…
ESA has invested more than €2 billion in improving and developing Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou. ESA owns the…
There are various ways to launch and fly reusable spacecraft. The Space Shuttle uses its own engines, together…
Most spacecraft are placed in orbits around the Earth. But this is not always the optimal place for…
An orbit is the path of an object around a particular point in space, for example the path…
As you know, a car tends to slow down when it goes up a mountain and to accelerate…
A spacecraft is a machine designed to be put into space. They can be used for observing the…
Spacecraft come in many shapes and sizes. They perform many different jobs. Unlike cars, it is rare to…
A car without wheels or an engine is of little value. In the same way, there are certain…
Over the last 40 years, satellites have become increasingly powerful and able to perform many different roles. Most…
Europe’s Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana is one of the world’s most modern and efficient launch sites.…
An Ariane-5 launch campaign usually lasts about five weeks. During the early stages, the teams prepare and check…
For the last 30 years, all of Europe’s rockets have been launched from Kourou in South America. Why…
To date, ESA has invested more than €2 billion in improving and developing Europe’s Spaceport at Kourou. ESA…
Most ESA spacecraft are tested at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. The…
Satellite communications are now being used for many unusual projects. This has been made possible by more powerful…
ESA has been working on satellite communications since the 1970s. As early as 1980, its Orbital Test Satellite…
The weather can suddenly change for the worse, so it is vital that forecasters receive continuous updates from…
Europe has its own weather satellites, called Meteosat. The first Meteosat was launched by ESA into geostationary orbit,…
Until now, nearly all space missions have used rocket motors that feed on chemical fuel. Unfortunately, these are…
