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Moon

Meet Sara Pastor, ESA’s Lunar Projects Group Leader

Born in Italy, Sara Pastor graduated in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Torino in 1998. After a brief experience in the automotive industry, she worked in Alenia Space in Turin (now Thales Alenia Space), before moving to ESA in 2003 at its technical site in the Netherlands. Initially, Sara worked on the preparation of ESA’s […]

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Moon

Argonaut: a lunar ship

ESA’s Argonaut represents Europe’s autonomous and versatile access to the Moon, supporting international exploration endeavours on the lunar surface. The spacecraft will support several missions to the Moon, launching aboard a four-booster Ariane 6 in the next decade.  The spacecraft has two main elements: the Lunar Descent Element, which takes care of flying to the […]

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Moon

Making a Moon robot show on Earth

The year is 2035. An Ariane 6 rocket blazes into the sky, delivering an Argonaut mission to the Moon. On the lunar surface, astronauts and robots work hand in hand, pushing the boundaries of exploration, uncovering the Moon’s secrets, and bringing knowledge and innovation back to Earth for the benefit of all. Also known as […]

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Astronauts

A year in images for Europe’s human and robotic exploration

Time flies when exploring space.

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Training

The power of AI in space exploration

What if artificial intelligence (AI) could make the impossible possible in space exploration? ESA’s Artificial Intelligence Lab for Human and Robotic Space Missions,  is dedicated to doing just that since the beginning of 2024. By combining cutting-edge AI solutions with ESA’s ambitions for the Moon, Mars and beyond, the Lab is redefining how humans and machines collaborate to explore the cosmos. 

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Science

Glove is in the air

Ever wondered how astronauts conduct delicate experiments in the harsh environment of space? Gloveboxes—sealed chambers equipped with built-in gloves—allow them to perform groundbreaking research without compromising safety or precision.

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Astronaut portrait - Sławosz Uznański. Credits: ESA - A. Conigli
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski

Ignis mission name and patch

The Ignis mission, Poland’s first technological and scientific mission to the International Space Station, will include ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski. The name derives from the Latin word for ‘fire’ and symbolises the spark igniting a new era in Poland’s space endeavours.   The central motif of the patch features an eagle, referencing Poland’s national emblem. […]

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Astronaut portrait - Sławosz Uznański. Credits: ESA - A. Conigli
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski

Grasping for space debris solutions

In preparation for his upcoming mission with Axiom Space, ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański is getting to grips with a first taste of space exploration during the most recent ESA parabolic flight campaign.

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