ESA Science & Technology - Director's Desk

7 March 2023

After a comprehensive review of their scientific merits and technical status, the SPC has confirmed the continued operations of the missions led by ESA's Science Programme: Cluster, Gaia, INTEGRAL, Mars Express and XMM-Newton. The SPC also confirmed the contributions to the extended operations of CHEOPS, Hinode, Hubble, IRIS, and SOHO.

11 June 2021

ESA's large-class science missions for the timeframe 2035-2050 will focus on moons of the giant Solar System planets, temperate exoplanets or the galactic ecosystem, and new physical probes of the early Universe.

10 June 2021

EnVision will be ESA's next Venus orbiter, providing a holistic view of the planet from its inner core to upper atmosphere to determine how and why Venus and Earth evolved so differently.

12 November 2020

ESA's exoplanet mission Ariel, scheduled for launch in 2029, has moved from study to implementation phase, following which an industrial contractor will be selected to build the spacecraft.

13 October 2020

ESA's Science Programme Committee has confirmed the continued operations of five missions led by ESA's Science Programme: Cluster, Gaia, INTEGRAL, Mars Express, and XMM-Newton, from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2022. The SPC also confirmed the Science Programme's contributions to the extended operations of Hinode, Hubble Space Telescope,...

19 June 2019'Comet Interceptor' has been selected as ESA's new fast-class mission in its Cosmic Vision Programme. Comprising three spacecraft, it will be the first to visit a truly pristine comet or other interstellar object that is only just starting its journey into the inner Solar System.

5 February 2019An interview with ESA's Director of Science, Günther Hasinger, on space science at ESA – his reflections on last year's achievements and his visions for the future of space science.

4 March 2019The next planning cycle in ESA's Science Programme, Voyage 2050, is now underway. Ideas are solicited from the scientific community for the science themes that should be covered during the Voyage 2050 planning cycle, which covers the time period 2035-2050. The deadline for receipt of White Papers has passed.

4 March 2019ESA's Science Directorate invited the public to share their views on the questions that Voyage 2050, ESA's space science programme for the 2035–2050 time frame, should address. The consultation period has passed and the survey is now closed.