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operations.esa.int
ESA Operations
@operations.esa.int
5.8K followers 36 following 260 posts
From Earth orbit to deep space: sharing the excitement of real-time mission operations at the European Space Agency. Home for ESA's teams working on Planetary Defence, Space Weather, Clean Space & Space Debris.
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esa.int/Space_Safety
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operations.esa.int
In 2025, 10 asteroids were named after people and places associated with @esa.int's efforts to discover, monitor, explore and keep Earth safe from asteroids.

Well done Planetary Defence team, you rock! 😉☄️

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
Photo of ESA's Planetary Defence team Visuaisation of the orbits of 10 asteroids and one comet named after people and places associated with ESA's Planetary Defence activities in 2025
January 13, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by ESA Operations
science.esa.int
Our #MarsExpress has spotted martian winds whipping up sand grains and acting as a cosmic sandblaster, carving our intriguing grooves in the Red Planet's surface.

More info, images and zoom in 👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔭 🧪
A satellite view of a section of Mars’s surface. The terrain is mostly smooth and sandy-coloured, with a large circular impact crater on the right side. The crater has a raised rim and a flat centre. To the left, there is a broad area of darker, rough-textured streaks spreading diagonally, contrasting with the lighter surrounding surface. The overall colour palette is shades of tan and reddish-brown, typical of Martian soil.
January 7, 2026 at 10:04 AM
operations.esa.int
Third poster in our series: "Space Safety - in action!"

Mission: Ramses
Objective: Intercept and explore the asteroid Apophis as it passes Earth in 2029
Unique feature: Ramses capitalises on a one-in-7000-year scientific opportunity
Launch: 2028

Download at: esa.int/space-safety/in-action
Stylised poster depicting the ESA-JAXA Ramses mission to asteroid Apophis
December 19, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by ESA Operations
science.esa.int
#XRISM joins the crew of telescopes observing comet 3I/ATLAS.

The image shows X-rays coming from a region of around 400 000 km around the comet nucleus. These X-rays could be generated by the interaction of the solar wind with gases from the comet.

Read more 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

🔭
This image shows an X-ray view of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, captured by the JAXA-led XRISM spacecraft. Against a black background, purple-to-green blobs appear throughout the image. Around the centre-right of view, a larger, bright green blob stands out – this is the X-ray light coming from near the comet’s nucleus. A red arrow labelled “Sun direction” points left, and a yellow arrow labelled “comet motion” points to the right. At the bottom, a scale marker reads “38.5 arcmin ~ 3,000,000 km”, while a white circle labelled “r = 5 arcmin ~ 400,000 km” surrounds the bright comet blob.
December 16, 2025 at 10:03 AM
operations.esa.int
🛫 ☀️ When the Sun disrupts aviation

Did you know that #SpaceWeather can affect flights in surprising ways?

One phenomenon gaining attention is the impact of energetic charged particles - originating from our Sun and even distant stars - on aircraft electronics.

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
December 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by ESA Operations
science.esa.int
Our XMM-Newton has observed comet 3I/ATLAS in X-ray light!

When gas molecules streaming from a comet collide with the solar wind they produce X-rays, seen here as the red glow of 3I/ATLAS 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

Blue marks empty space with little X-rays. The black line is a detector gap 🔭 🧪
This image shows an X-ray view of interstellar comet 3I ATLAS, captured by ESA’s XMM-Newton spacecraft. At the centre of the image, a bright red spot stands out against a dark background, like a fiery beacon. Starting from this core, faint gradients of purple and blue spread outward, creating a slightly rotated rectangular frame, divided by a thin horizontal line. The red colour shows low-energy X-rays, blue marks empty space with very few X-rays. A yellow arrow labelled “Sun” points left, indicating the comet’s orientation in the Solar System. At the bottom right, a scale marker reads “5 arcmin”, providing a sense of spatial dimension.]
December 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
operations.esa.int
What really happens to a satellite during a fiery reentry into the atmosphere? ESA’s Draco will find out! 🛰️🐦‍🔥 Check out the trailer for our Space Safety mission 'built for destruction'.

More on Draco 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
December 12, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by ESA Operations
science.esa.int
From a scorching closest approach to the Sun, to a flight past Venus for a gravity boost – 2025 has been quite a year for our #ESAJuice!

Tune in to the latest episode of 'The journey of Juice' to go behind the scenes with the people working on the mission 👇

🔭 🧪
Turning up the heat | The journey of Juice (episode 2)
YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA
www.youtube.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
operations.esa.int
Second poster in our series: "Space Safety - in action!"

Mission: RISE
Objective: Extend the lifetime of a satellite in geostationary orbit
Unique feature: After initial demo, D-Orbit will continue to operate RISE as a commercial service
Launch: 2029

Download at: esa.int/space-safety/in-action
Stylised poster depicting ESA's RISE satellite docking with another satellite in Earth orbit
December 11, 2025 at 11:18 AM
operations.esa.int
Check out the first poster in our new series: "Space Safety - in action!"

Mission: Vigil
Objective: Advanced warning of solar storms
Unique feature: Location in deep space offers 'side-on' view of solar material heading towards Earth
Launch: 2031

Download the poster at:
www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
Stylised poster depicting spacecraft watching the Sun with Earth depicted below
December 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
operations.esa.int
📡 2025 marked a landmark year for #Estrack, ESA’s global network of ground stations.

Since its inception in 1975, Estrack has formed a vital communication bridge between satellites in orbit and mission control at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC).

www.esa.int/About_Us/ESA...
December 2, 2025 at 10:06 AM
operations.esa.int
The first high-resolution images have been received from #Copernicus Sentinel-1D, launched on 4 November. 📷

Without the hard work of all the teams at #ESOC, ESA, and its partners, sharing images like these would not be possible. So, sit back and enjoy at these outstanding views. 🏞️ 🌆
esa.int European Space Agency @esa.int · Nov 26
🌎 The first #Copernicus Sentinel-1D images are in!

Check out the images featuring Tierra del Fuego, the Antarctic Peninsula, Thwaites Glacier and the Elbe River delta.
Tierra del Fuego: Bright colours created using multiple radar polarisations. The ocean and snowy peaks appear in shades of blue, while the land shows in yellow. Antarctic Peninsula: A black‑and‑white radar view showing the stark contrast between the ocean and the icy landscape. Thwaites Glacier: Sea ice is visible in tones of purple and violet, while the glacier appears white. The Elbe River delta
November 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by ESA Operations
josefaschbacher.esa.int
Ministers and high-level representatives from across Europe and from Canada kicked-off @esa.int’s Council at Ministerial level in Bremen yesterday to define the Agency’s budget and programmatic priorities for the coming 3 years–decisions that will shape Europe’s role in space for the decade ahead.
November 27, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by ESA Operations
josefaschbacher.esa.int
Europe holds a distinct advantage in space. Through ESA, Europe can act swiftly and decisively to grow its leadership, resilience and autonomy. #CM25
www.linkedin.com/pulse/all-un...
In all this uncertainty, Europe's best chance is through space
Opinion Editorial by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher on the eve of the ESA Ministerial Council 2025 In 2025, we are witnessing a world where traditional diplomacy and collaborative norms are inc...
www.linkedin.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:54 PM
operations.esa.int
☀️ Lessons from the November 2025 solar storm

Last week, Earth was hit by a large solar storm. The event provided an opportunity for multiple ESA missions, whether orbiting Earth or far into deep space, to collect radiation data, which is now being analysed.

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
November 21, 2025 at 3:23 PM
operations.esa.int
⏳ Just one year to go – 21 November 2026 – until #BepiColombo arrives at Mercury!

For @esa.int’s #ESOC team, the mission has been a masterclass in challenging space operations, involving five transfer correction manoeuvres and fifteen Mercury orbit insertion manoeuvres - all around another planet!
science.esa.int ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · Nov 21
Space adventurers Bepi, Mio and MTM have just one year to go until they reach Mercury. What have they been up to since their journey began in 2018?
Watch episode 2 of 'The epic adventures of BepiColombo' here 👉 youtu.be/41EdqhlH3PQ 👀
🔭 #planetsci #BepiColombo
The epic adventures of BepiColombo | Part 2: It’s a long way to Mercury
YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 10:43 AM
operations.esa.int
The team at #ESOC has completed the LEOP for the Copernicus Sentinel-6B satellite and subsequently handed over control to their colleagues and teammates at @eumetsat.int . 🛰️

Congratulations to all the teams in this truly collaborative effort! 🤝
eumetsat.int EUMETSAT @eumetsat.int · Nov 20
We have officially taken control of #Sentinel6B! 🕹️

Now on the way to its nominal orbit, it will soon fly in tandem with Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich to ensure precise cross-calibration before becoming the world’s new reference mission for ocean altimetry. 🌊

Read more about it here: bit.ly/4oPmrHB
November 20, 2025 at 4:43 PM
operations.esa.int
☄️ 40 000 near-Earth asteroids discovered!

Thankfully, none of them are cause for concern for the foreseeable future, but ESA's planetary defence teams are keeping a watchful eye on the skies.

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
November 20, 2025 at 9:16 AM
operations.esa.int
Proudly celebrating #LGBTQinSTEMDay at #ESOC!🌈
esa.int European Space Agency @esa.int · Nov 18
Today is #LGBTQinSTEMDay 🌈

ESA proudly joins the STEM community in celebrating the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.

The Pride Flag will fly across ESA sites as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more there is to do.

#SpaceForAll
Image of the progress pride flag flying at our ESAC site in Spain. Image of the progress pride flag flying at our ESRIN site in Frascati, Italy. Image of the progress pride flag flying at our ESEC site in Belgium. Image of the progress pride flag flying at our ESOC site in Darmstadt, Germany.
November 18, 2025 at 2:04 PM
operations.esa.int
@esa.int @cnes.fr @ec.europa.eu @eumetsat.int at.int @esaearth.esa.int
November 17, 2025 at 8:10 AM
operations.esa.int
We hear you, #CopernicusEU Sentinel-6B! The Inuvik Satellite Station in Canada has received the first signals from the satellite. The orbit has been reached, and telemetry has begun to arrive at ESA's mission control in Germany!
esa.int European Space Agency @esa.int · Nov 17
Mission confirmed ✅

#CopernicusEU Sentinel-6B is now in orbit and ready to begin its Launch & Early Operations phase with @operations.esa.int. The satellite is ready to continue a decades-long mission to track the height of the planet’s seas – a key measure of climate change.
Sentinel-6B launched to extend record of sea-level rise
The latest guardian of our oceans has taken its place in orbit. The Copernicus Sentinel-6B satellite is now circling Earth, ready to continue a decades-long mission to track the height of the planet’s...
esa.int
November 17, 2025 at 8:10 AM
operations.esa.int
@esa.int @cnrs.fr es.fr @ec.europa.eu @eumetsat.int @esaearth.esa.int
November 17, 2025 at 8:07 AM
operations.esa.int
☀️ ESA actively monitoring severe space weather event

On 11 November, an intense solar flare was observed, followed by a coronal mass ejection estimated to arrive at Earth in the late evening today or in the early morning tomorrow.

www.esa.int/Space_Safety...
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 PM
operations.esa.int
@esa.int @transport.esa.int @cnes.fr @ec.europa.eu @euspa.bsky.social @thalesaleniaspace.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
operations.esa.int
That’s it from us on Copernicus Sentinel-1D! If you like launches, don't forget to tune back for the launch of Copernicus Sentinel-6B later this month.

📷ESA - J. Mai
ESA mission control room with multiple computer monitors displaying spacecraft data and status information, overseen by Flight Operations Director Ian Shurmer.
November 4, 2025 at 11:35 PM