ESA Operations

Infographic for ESA Open Days 2025, dates and locations shown: 12 Sept. ESA ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany 20 Sept. ESA HQ, Paris, France 26 Sept. ESA ESRIN, Frascati, Italy 4 Oct. ESA ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain 11-12 Oct. ESA ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

🗓️ Save the date(s)!

Please join us at #ESAOpenDays this year:

12 Sept. - ESA ESOC, Darmstadt 🇩🇪
20 Sept. - ESA HQ, Paris 🇫🇷
26 Sept. - ESA ESRIN, Frascati 🇮🇹
4 Oct. - ESA ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada 🇪🇸
11-12 Oct. - ESA ESTEC, Noordwijk 🇳🇱

Stay tuned!

🪂 The largest parachute to ever fly on Mars deployed gracefully on Earth, slowing down an @esa.int #ExoMars dummy descent module for a safe touchdown.

Watch this slow-motion footage captured from the capsule after its release at nearly 30 km above the Arctic Circle.

📽️ Vorticity

Image of an astronaut pointing with the text "We recruit. Not only astronauts. Apply on jobs.esa.int"

We are hiring for two high-level positions: Director of Navigation and Director of Operations.

Both positions will be members of the ESA Executive Board and, in that role, will be responsible for contributing to ESA-wide management.

Apply by 5 September⬇️ www.esa.int/About_Us/Car...

Jorgen testing his four-legged robot Olympus at ESA's ORBIT facility

The four-legged robot Olympus tested at ESA's ORBIT facility

🤖 Meet Olympus – a four-legged robot that recently jumped from wall to wall at @esa.int’s robotics laboratory in conditions simulating the low gravity of Mars 🔴 👉 www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

☀️A new era in space weather forecasting is beginning...

Last year, we saw an increase in solar storms that lit up the skies with stunning auroras across Europe.

However, these events can be disruptive, effecting power, satellites & communications.

The European Space Agency invited me to their mission control centre in Germany to find out what it takes to be a Satellite Operations Engineer working on their new Earth observation satellite, BIOMASS. Matt Gray | http://mattg.co.uk | @MattGrayYes 📋 Credits 📋 Series Producer/Director: Cambria Bailey-Jones Camera Operator / Editor: Jamie MacLeod | https://www.jamiemacleod.co.uk Sound Design: Dan Pugsley | https://www.cassinisound.com Captions: Jacob Salas | caption.plus Executive Producer: Guy Larsen A Matt Gray & Penny4 Production https://www.penny4.co.uk Special thanks to Elia, Jakob, Maya, Nicola, Lucy and Daniel at ESA and ESOC along with all of our contributors for this episode! @EuropeanSpaceAgency 📱 Follow Matt elsewhere on the internet 📱 All my social links are at https://mattg.co.uk https://chaos.social/@MattGrayYes (Mastodon) https://patreon.com/MattGrayYes https://instagram.com/MattGrayYes https://www.tiktok.com/@MattGrayYes https://twitch.tv/MattGrayYes 🌍 Extra Info 🌍 ESA: Biomass satellite returns striking first images of forests and more https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/Biomass_satellite_returns_striking_first_images_of_forests_and_more More about BIOMASS: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass People always ask about my t-shirts. I bought my white one from https://thespark.company. And the ESA one was a gift from ESA. 💷 Advert 💷 This video has no adverts or sponsors. Want to contribute towards my videos? Sign up to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/MattGrayYes Want to sponsor a video? More detail here: https://mattg.co.uk/contact/ 💸 Full Disclosure 💸 💷 My Patreon supporters' help meant I could work on this instead of other paid work Hi, I'm Matt Gray. You may know me from my work with Tom Scott, The Technical Difficulties, Matt Gray is Trying, or even as a broadcast engineer working in radio and TV. Previous video titles These EXPERTS show what it takes to FLY A SATELLITE at the European Space Agency What actually happens after launch‽ (at the European Space Agency!) More Amazing Than the Launch‽ (at the European Space Agency!)

This is the part of deploying a satellite that you never hear about, and the European Space Agency let me have a go!

I spent two days at their Mission Control, and you won't believe how precisely they can position a satellite in space!

Thanks for stopping by, @mattgrayy.es!

A11pl3Z is reborn as 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar comet to pass through our Solar System!
bsky.app/profile/oper...

It may be thousands of years until humans visit a planet in another solar system, and interstellar comets offer the tantalising opportunity for us to touch something truly otherworldly...

They are remnants of other planetary systems, carrying with them clues about the formation of worlds far beyond our own.

While every planet, moon, asteroid, comet and lifeform that formed in our Solar System shares a common origin, a common heritage, interstellar visitors are true outsiders.

ESA's astronomers are actively tracking 3I/ATLAS, which is now the third confirmed interstellar comet to pass through our Solar System!

More info at: www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

It may be thousands of years until humans visit a planet in another solar system, and interstellar comets offer the tantalising opportunity for us to touch something truly otherworldly...

They are remnants of other planetary systems, carrying with them clues about the formation of worlds far beyond our own.

While every planet, moon, asteroid, comet and lifeform that formed in our Solar System shares a common origin, a common heritage, interstellar visitors are true outsiders.

Astronomers may have just discovered the third interstellar object passing through the Solar System!

ESA’s Planetary Defenders are observing the object, provisionally known as #A11pl3Z, right now using telescopes around the world.

Chaos, panic, total devastation: asteroids in films are scary, and only an unlikely, heroic mission can save humanity 🚀 ☄️

But what would happen if an asteroid hurtled towards us for real?

On the occasion of #AsteroidDay, tune in to #ChasingStarlight to find out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaON...

🔭🧪

Great video, ESO! 😍

Asteroid Day Festival 2025 YouTube video by Asteroid Day

"Every time we have interacted with an asteroid, the reaction has been totally different from what we expected."

Check out the replay from Saturday's #AsteroidDay Festival, featuring great speakers from ESA's Hera mission, the Virtual Telescope Project and NASA JPL!

www.youtube.com/live/HI5RQeV...

YouTube video by Asteroid Day Asteroid Day Festival 2025

👨‍🚀 How to keep astronauts safe on an asteroid mission?

☄️ @esa.int experts at #AsteroidDay in Luxembourg discussed space medicine and spaceflight simulations.

Their research enables medical applications, such as remote monitoring & healthcare for extreme environments.

▶️ youtu.be/HI5RQeVbLkI?...

Eyes meet brain for our next exoplanet mission, as Plato's payload module is attached to its service module 👀🤝🧠

We've condensed the hours-long, millimetre-precision procedure into just 1.5 minutes in the timelapse below.

More info 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

🧪☄

Asteroid Day promotional poster: black and white text on an orange background

Photo of the ESA stand at the 2025 Asteroid Day Festival, featuring large posters and Lego models of ESA spacecraft

Today, we are at the #AsteroidDay Festival in Luxembourg to share the excitement of ESA's Planetary Defence activities with visitors of all ages!

Come and visit us at the ESA stand, or follow the event online at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI5R...

Event programme: asteroidday.org/events-in-lu...

Will asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon? Asteroid 2024 YR4 made headlines earlier this year when its probability of impacting Earth in 2032 rose as high as 3%. While an Earth impact has now been ruled out, the asteroid’s story cont...

Asteroid 2024 YR4 made headlines this year when its probability of impacting Earth in 2032 rose to 3%.

While an Earth impact has now been ruled out, the story continues.

The final glimpse of the asteroid left it with a 4% chance of hitting the Moon on 22 Dec 2032.

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

Safeguarding Europe’s role in Solar System Internet: First Stop, the Moon ESA is taking a significant step towards realising the Solar System Internet (SSI) - an ambitious vision made possible through global collaboration. Earlier this year, ESA launched a concurrent design...

Today, at the #ParisAirShow, ESA introduced the Solar System Internet 🛰️🌐🌙

We are working with @esaconnectivity.esa.int and our partners to develop a network of networks that can provide communication and navigation services to missions at the Moon, Mars and beyond.

www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

Photo of the RISE panel at the 2025 Paris Air Show

The panel shared their perspectives on the importance of space safety and sustainability in Europe, and how ESA can support European industry in this emerging market.

Find out more about RISE: www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

Artist's impression of the RISE spacecraft

Rising to the challenge 🛰️⬆️

Today, at the #ParisAirShow, ESA hosted a panel dedicated to RISE, our in-orbit servicing mission.

Led by D-Orbit, RISE will extend the life of satellites in geostationary orbit, securing strategic space assets and reducing the generation of space debris.

Image: D-Orbit

#Proba3 releases first images!

Not only it is a demonstration of the mission's formation flying technology… but also a small revolution in the way computer models will simulate the solar corona and create ‘digital eclipses’.

Ready to lift-off day 1 at #SalonDuBourget? 🚀

Don't forget to join us live for the ESA-@cnes.fr press conference beginning at 14:00 BST/15:00 CEST on esawebtv.esa.int

For ESA’s full programme at the #ParisAirShow click here ➡️ www.esa.int/About_Us/ESA...

🌞 See the Sun from a whole new angle.

For the first time, our Solar Orbiter mission has captured close-up images of the Sun’s mysterious poles, regions long hidden from our view.

Check out the ispace Moon landing livestream! The landing attempt is planned for 21:17 CEST: www.youtube.com/live/BVSMXQP...