This press briefing will be an opportunity to hear about the main milestones for ESA next year, such as the launch of Smile, a mission that will give humankind its first complete look at how Earth reacts to streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun. Later in 2026 should also see the arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury after its eight-year trip, where it will gather data to answer many perplexing questions about the least-explored planet of the inner Solar System.
Many more exciting missions are expected next year, with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot launching for the International Space Station, and various Earth Observation and Navigation launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA Directors will join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA's new scientific, exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2026 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.
ESA Director General’s Annual Press Briefing will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int on 8 January 2026 from 10:30 CET and available on replay afterwards.
Media contacts
For further information, please contact ESA Media Relations media@esa.int, Polina Huard Polina.Huard@esa.int, Hortense de Roffignac Hortense.deroffignac@ext.esa.int .
Images
This press briefing will be an opportunity to hear about the main milestones for ESA next year, such as the launch of Smile, a mission that will give humankind its first complete look at how Earth reacts to streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun. Later in 2026 should also see the arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury after its eight-year trip, where it will gather data to answer many perplexing questions about the least-explored planet of the inner Solar System.
Many more exciting missions are expected next year, with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot launching for the International Space Station, and various Earth Observation and Navigation launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA Directors will join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA's new scientific, exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2026 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.
ESA Director General’s Annual Press Briefing will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int on 8 January 2026 from 10:30 CET and available on replay afterwards.
Media contacts
For further information, please contact ESA Media Relations media@esa.int, Polina Huard Polina.Huard@esa.int, Hortense de Roffignac Hortense.deroffignac@ext.esa.int .
This press briefing will be an opportunity to hear about the main milestones for ESA next year, such as the launch of Smile, a mission that will give humankind its first complete look at how Earth reacts to streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun. Later in 2026 should also see the arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury after its eight-year trip, where it will gather data to answer many perplexing questions about the least-explored planet of the inner Solar System.
Many more exciting missions are expected next year, with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot launching for the International Space Station, and various Earth Observation and Navigation launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA Directors will join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA's new scientific, exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2026 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.
ESA Director General’s Annual Press Briefing will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int on 8 January 2026 from 10:30 CET and available on replay afterwards.
Media contacts
For further information, please contact ESA Media Relations media@esa.int, Polina Huard Polina.Huard@esa.int, Hortense de Roffignac Hortense.deroffignac@ext.esa.int .
This press briefing will be an opportunity to hear about the main milestones for ESA next year, such as the launch of Smile, a mission that will give humankind its first complete look at how Earth reacts to streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun. Later in 2026 should also see the arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury after its eight-year trip, where it will gather data to answer many perplexing questions about the least-explored planet of the inner Solar System.
Many more exciting missions are expected next year, with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot launching for the International Space Station, and various Earth Observation and Navigation launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA Directors will join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA's new scientific, exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2026 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.
ESA Director General’s Annual Press Briefing will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int on 8 January 2026 from 10:30 CET and available on replay afterwards.
Media contacts
For further information, please contact ESA Media Relations media@esa.int, Polina Huard Polina.Huard@esa.int, Hortense de Roffignac Hortense.deroffignac@ext.esa.int .
This press briefing will be an opportunity to hear about the main milestones for ESA next year, such as the launch of Smile, a mission that will give humankind its first complete look at how Earth reacts to streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun. Later in 2026 should also see the arrival of BepiColombo at Mercury after its eight-year trip, where it will gather data to answer many perplexing questions about the least-explored planet of the inner Solar System.
Many more exciting missions are expected next year, with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot launching for the International Space Station, and various Earth Observation and Navigation launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
ESA Directors will join Josef Aschbacher to detail ESA's new scientific, exploration, Earth observation, connectivity and navigation missions for 2026 – and the technology and operations that underpin them all.
ESA Director General’s Annual Press Briefing will also be streamed via esawebtv.esa.int on 8 January 2026 from 10:30 CET and available on replay afterwards.
Media contacts
For further information, please contact ESA Media Relations media@esa.int, Polina Huard Polina.Huard@esa.int, Hortense de Roffignac Hortense.deroffignac@ext.esa.int .