[NASA Press Release - 06.11.2018]

ESA has released this beautiful and informative video called Destination: Moon about lunar exploration, enjoy!

[ESA Press Release - 29.11.2013]
Shortly after China’s Chang’e-3 spacecraft departs Earth to land on the Moon, ESA’s network of tracking stations will swing into action, providing crucial support for the vessel’s five-day lunar cruise.

[ESA Press Release - 01.11.2013]
ESA’s ground station on the island of Tenerife has received laser signals over a distance of 400 000 km from NASA’s latest Moon orbiter. The data were delivered many times faster than possible with traditional radio waves, marking a significant breakthrough in space communications.

[ESA Press Release - 30.07.2013]
An advanced laser system offering vastly faster data speeds is now ready for linking with spacecraft beyond our planet following a series of crucial ground tests. Later this year, ESA’s observatory in Spain will use the laser to communicate with a NASA Moon orbiter.

[ESA Press Release - 31.01.2013]
Setting up a lunar base could be made much simpler by using a 3D printer to build it from local materials. Industrial partners including renowned architects Foster + Partners have joined with ESA to test the feasibility of 3D printing using lunar soil.

[ESA Press Release - 16.01.2013]
ESA agreed with NASA today to contribute a driving force to the Orion spacecraft planned for launch in 2017. Ultimately, Orion will carry astronauts further into space than ever before using a module based on Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle technology.

[ESA Press Release - 10.10.2012]
Humans venturing beyond Earth orbit deeper into space face increased exposure to cosmic radiation, so ESA has teamed with Germany’s GSI particle accelerator to test potential shielding for astronauts, including Moon and Mars soil.

[ESA Press Release - 19.06.2012]
In 2013, a NASA satellite will beam digital signals to an ESA receiving station fast enough to stream dozens of movies at once. The test will help to demonstrate the readiness of next-generation optical links for future data-intensive deep-space missions.

[ESA Press Release - 08.04.2010]
The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) project passed its System Requirements Review (SRR) during a workshop held 22-26 March at ESA’s Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. The successful outcome marked a major milestone in the project’s development.

More than 30 participants attended the event, including one student from each of the participating universities, and staff from Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), the project’s prime contractor.