7 February 2012 An intensive, two-day test of the third Meteosat Second Generation satellite saw ESA mission controllers in Germany connecting their computers to the satellite at a manufacturing facility in France. The test was a milestone in the lead up to launch this summer.
15 December 2011 The first laser ranging of Europe's new Galileo navigation satellites has been achieved from Concepción in Chile. Laser contact with the satellites at an altitude of 23 230 km has provided distance measurements with subcentimetre accuracy.
25 November 2011 ESA astronauts will join Google and YouTube managers on 30 November to present highlights of the 'Space Lab' competition. Space Lab is challenging students around the world to design a science experiment for the International Space Station.