MetOp-SG’s IASI-NG returns first data

The new Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission has delivered its first images, highlighting concentrations of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Despite being preliminary, these images mark a major milestone in Europe’s ability to monitor air quality all the way from geostationary orbit, 36 000 kilometres above Earth.

As part of the ESA Academy Experiments programme, the SKYWALKER student team from Aalborg University, Denmark, successfully tested a smart algorithm to help a robotic arm on a floating platform move in microgravity-like conditions. The test campaign took place in late September 2025 at ESA ESTEC’s Orbital Robotics Lab. This work is paving the way…

The launch campaign of the next satellite to join the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission is progressing on schedule for launch on Tuesday, 4 November, on board an Ariane 6 rocket.

6th edition of the contest for the best satellite image of Earth sonia Fri, 17/10/2025 – 17:44 The annual international contest ‘Seize the beauty of our Planet’ recognizes the most beautiful satellite images of the Earth. This year’s theme is Cities and nature. It is the 6th time that CloudFerro, a Copernicus Ambassador, is inviting…

Image: The changing face of the Chilean glaciers in the Laguna San Rafael National Park is featured in these satellite images from 1987 and 2024.

OBSERVER: Air Quality Challenges in 2025: Europe’s Summer of Smoke, Dust and Ozone sonia Wed, 15/10/2025 – 17:05 The summer of 2025 significantly affected Europe’s atmosphere. From record-breaking wildfires in southern and western Europe, to intense Saharan dust intrusions and repeated peaks in surface ozone during prolonged heatwaves, air quality was negatively impacted by multiple…

Using 11 years of magnetic field measurements from the European Space Agency’s Swarm satellite constellation, scientists have discovered that the weak region in Earth’s magnetic field over the South Atlantic – known as the South Atlantic Anomaly – has expanded by an area nearly half the size of continental Europe since 2014.

Image: This wide view of Copernicus Sentinel-3 shows Cyclone Errol heading towards the coast of Western Australia.

Each year, aspiring rocket scientists from across Europe gather for the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), the largest competition on the continent, organised by the Portuguese Space Agency. For the 6th edition, taking place from 9-15 October 2025 in Constância, Portugal, ESA Academy is delighted to introduce a new sponsorship scheme to support participating student teams.