Europe

ESA Business Applications  offers funding and support to businesses from any sector who intend to use space (satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite telecommunication, space weather, space technologies) to develop new commercial services.

SatVu has released the First Light imagery from its thermal imaging satellite, HOTSAT-1, at the same time as announcing its move into commercial operations. For the Company, the milestone is a major step forward towards a new era in Earth observation and climate monitoring. SatVu launched HOTSAT-1 into orbit in June aboard a SpaceX rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

This Space Café WebTalk will feature Paul Liias, Head of Space policy at the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, in conversation with Torsten Kriening, publisher of SpaceWatch.Global. Is space legal in Estonia and why should you come to Tallinn for Halloween? Paul Liias is the Head of Space policy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication. Paul has created the Estonian Space Policy and Program 2020-2027

Cosmic Girls foundation announced in conjunction with the United Nations World Space Week, introduced on the 4th of October the international charity and competition to inspire girls to pursue careers in space and STEM fields. The foundation’s mission is to “launch dreams in girls, and girls into space” by creating a platform to support female astronaut talent. 

A Euroconsult report focusing on In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) for air travel has highlighted a second consecutive year of strong growth. This is because over 36,000 commercial and business aviation aircraft now feature onboard internet access. The new study marks the 11th edition of an annual report entitled ‘Prospects for In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity’ and predicts this number to grow steadily over the coming years, to almost double by 2032, as part of an overall market that could see service revenues reach as high as $3.4bn.

The Independent Enquiry Commission, set up by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, has concluded its findings on the test anomaly during the static firing test of the modified Zefiro40 engine. The Director General set up the Enquiry Commission to understand the cause of the test anomaly and propose recommendations. The ESA Inspector General, Giovanni Colangelo, chaired the Commission, which also comprised experts from CNES, ASI, ESA, Arianespace and academia.

Eutelsat Communications has announced that its entire issued share capital has been admitted to the Standard Segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the Main Market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol: ETL.

In this episode of Space Café Radio, SpaceWatch.Global’s publisher, Torsten Kriening, has an exciting conversation with Lukasz Wilczynski, President of Space Communications Alliance and European Space Foundation, Organizer of European Rover Challenge, about the bid of Poznan, Poland for the International Astronautical Congress  (IAC) 2026. Poznań as a Host for IAC 2026: Lukasz emphasizes the suitability of Poznań, Poland, for hosting the International Astronautical Congress (IAC). He mentions the city's history of hosting large international trade fairs and its strategic location, making it easily accessible by plane and train. Furthermore, Poznań offers a compact layout with various amenities like restaurants and hotels in close proximity.

In the latest “Space Café BeNeLux”, our host Dr. Heike Poignand, welcomed Major Nicolas Gérôme, Head of Space Office at the Belgian Ministry of Defence to an eye-opening discussion of the question: “Space for Defence or Defence for Space?” Regarding Space for Defence 6 basic space applications are considered: Navigation and Timing, Satellite Communication, Earth Observation, Meteorology, Ballistic Missile Defence, and Space Situational awareness.

Euroconsult has published the fourth edition of its 'Prospects for Space Exploration' market intelligence report. The market report positions lunar exploration as the catalyst behind an unprecedented surge in the space exploration sector. This consequently led to a global Government investment rise to an impressive $26 billion during 2023.  Ambitious lunar missions will potentially also boost investment to nearly $33 billion by 2032, a growth trajectory which underscores lunar exploration's pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration.