NASA’s rover captured images of layered rock formations on the “Murray Buttes” region of Mount Sharp last week.
Hundreds of black holes congregate surprisingly peacefully in a Milky Way star cluster
The black holes don’t eject each other as expected
Jeff Bezos debuted a massive rocket plan to take Blue Origin into deep space
The New Glenn will take the previously-suborbital company to dizzying new heights.
Proba-3: set the controls for the verge of the Sun

By converging in orbit, a pair of small satellites will open a new view on the source of the largest structure in the Solar System: the Sun’s ghostly atmosphere, extending millions of kilometres out into space.
RapidScat Team Investigating Power System Anomaly
Mission managers are assessing two power system-related anomalies affecting the operation of NASA’s ISS-RapidScat instrument on the International Space Station.
Mars Rover Views Spectacular Layered Rock Formations
The layered geologic past of Mars is revealed in stunning detail in new color images returned by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover of the “Murray Buttes” region on Mount Sharp.
RapidScat Team Investigating Power System Anomaly
Mission managers are assessing two power system-related anomalies affecting the operation of NASA’s ISS-RapidScat instrument on the International Space Station.
Mars Rover Views Spectacular Layered Rock Formations
The layered geologic past of Mars is revealed in stunning detail in new color images returned by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover of the “Murray Buttes” region on Mount Sharp.
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 5-9 September 2016
Rosetta’s descent towards region of active pits

Squeezing out unique scientific observations until the very end, Rosetta’s thrilling mission will culminate with a descent on 30 September towards a region of active pits on the comet’s ‘head’.
Open Science

Follow the EO Open Science 2016 conference via live webstream from ESA’s ESRIN establishment in Italy 12–14 September. Live coverage begins Monday at 9:00 CEST
Astronomers find fossil stars from the beginning of the galaxy
A collection of stars from the beginning of our galaxy could shed light on how it formed.
After a successful launch, OSIRIS-REx is headed for an asteroid encounter
The craft will scoop up a bit of asteroid and bring it back to Earth.
Fantastic four: November’s Galileos reach Europe’s Spaceport

A transatlantic flight delivered four Galileo satellites to French Guiana on Tuesday, in preparation for a shared launch this November by Ariane 5 – the first for Europe’s satnav constellation.
Barents bloom
Earth observation image of the week: a Sentinel-2A image of a plankton bloom in the Barents Sea
‘Enterprise’ Nebulae Seen by Spitzer
Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the TV series “Star Trek,” which first aired September 8th,1966, a new infrared image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope may remind fans of the historic show.
‘Enterprise’ Nebulae Seen by Spitzer
Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the TV series “Star Trek,” which first aired September 8th,1966, a new infrared image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope may remind fans of the historic show.
Signing the SciFi car
Operations image of the week: The Rosetta flight control team add their signatures to the SciFi car
Earth from Space

Join us Friday, 9 September, at 10:00 CEST for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week features the watercolour swirls of a plankton bloom in the Barents Sea
Small Asteroid Flew Safely Past Earth Today
A small asteroid designated 2016 RB1 safely flew past Earth today, Sept. 7, at a distance of about 25,000 miles (just less than 1/10th the distance of Earth to the moon).
Small Asteroid Flew Safely Past Earth Today
A small asteroid designated 2016 RB1 safely flew past Earth today, Sept. 7, at a distance of about 25,000 miles (just less than 1/10th the distance of Earth to the moon).
Titan’s Dunes and Other Features Emerge in New Images
New scenes from a frigid alien landscape are coming to light in recent radar images of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft.
Watch NASA launch its new asteroid-sampling robotic mission
OSIRIS-REx is due for an encounter with a near-Earth object in two years.
‘Star Trek’ stamps mark 50th anniversary of franchise
They can’t get your letters to warp speed, but they are pretty great nonetheless.
A cosmic oyster’s pearl
Space Science Image of the Week: This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows NGC 1501, a duo resembling a cosmic oyster and its much-coveted pearl
Four steps nearer Mercury
Technology image of the week: all four ion thrusters have been integrated into the BepiColombo mission to the innermost planet
Vega to launch ESA’s wind mission

Today, ESA and Arianespace signed a contract to secure the launch of the Aeolus satellite. With this milestone, a better understanding of Earth’s winds is another step closer.
Titan’s Dunes and Other Features Emerge in New Images
New scenes from a frigid alien landscape are coming to light in recent radar images of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft.
Rosetta’s legacy

Tell us how Rosetta has influenced you and there’s a chance to win ESA prizes
Space history
Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen and cosmonaut Sergei Volkov unveil a bust of Yuri Gagarin
Philae’s final resting place has been found
ESA’s comet lander missed its mark two years ago. Yesterday, its parent craft Rosetta found the probe finally.
Arctic and Space
As the Arctic is developed, how can space help safeguard this fragile environment? Follow the Arctic and Space workshop at the Finnish Meteorological Institute on 6 September. Livestream starts at 06:00 GMT (08:00 CEST)
Philae found!
Rosetta’s Philae lander is revealed in new images of the comet
Philae found!

Less than a month before the end of the mission, Rosetta’s high-resolution camera has revealed the Philae lander wedged into a dark crack on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
NASA Approves 2018 Launch of Mars InSight Mission
NASA is moving forward with a spring 2018 launch of its InSight mission to study the deep interior of Mars, following final approval this week by the agency.
Jupiter’s North Pole Unlike Anything Encountered in Solar System
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has sent back the first-ever images of Jupiter’s north pole, taken during the spacecraft’s first flyby of the planet with its instruments switched on.
Jupiter’s North Pole Unlike Anything Encountered in Solar System
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has sent back the first-ever images of Jupiter’s north pole, taken during the spacecraft’s first flyby of the planet with its instruments switched on.
NASA Approves 2018 Launch of Mars InSight Mission
NASA is moving forward with a spring 2018 launch of its InSight mission to study the deep interior of Mars, following final approval this week by the agency.
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 29 August – 2 September 2016
The weird, isolated mountain on Ceres is a giant ice volcano
Ceres: a world that just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
This Twitter lets you know what Hubble is staring at RIGHT NOW
Want to know what Hubble is up to right now? There’s a tweet for that.
Juno gets the first-ever view of Jupiter’s North Pole
Some never-before-seen features come to light.
Ceres’ Geological Activity, Ice Revealed in New Research
A lonely 3-mile-high (5-kilometer-high) mountain on Ceres is likely volcanic in origin, and the dwarf planet may have a weak, temporary atmosphere.
Ceres’ Geological Activity, Ice Revealed in New Research
A lonely 3-mile-high (5-kilometer-high) mountain on Ceres is likely volcanic in origin, and the dwarf planet may have a weak, temporary atmosphere.
Earth from Space

The ‘Earth from Space’ video programme is back! Join us Friday, 2 September, at 10:00 CEST and discover Argentina’s Upsala Glacier
Mars team
Operations image of the week: ExoMars mission control trains for arriving at the Red Planet
Newly discovered protostar is well placed for studying how massive stars form
What was thought to be an old star is likely a baby star 12,000 light-years from Earth.
How can we get to Proxima Centauri b?
There’s an exoplanet as close to us as one can get. So how will we get there?
Cuddly comet chaser

Technology image of the week: a plush toy version of Rosetta joins a rover in ESA’s Mars Yard – the actual Rosetta spacecraft will soon join the planetary lander club
Intro to EO: sign up today
Sign up for a free online course that provides an introduction to optical satellite Earth observation. The five-week Future Learn course begins on 12 September
Dawn Sets Course for Higher Orbit
After studying Ceres for more than eight months from its low-altitude science orbit, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft will move higher up for different views of the dwarf planet.
Planck: First Stars Formed Later Than We Thought
ESA’s Planck satellite, has revealed that the first stars in the universe started forming later than previous observations of the cosmic microwave background indicated.
Planck: First Stars Formed Later Than We Thought
ESA’s Planck satellite, has revealed that the first stars in the universe started forming later than previous observations of the cosmic microwave background indicated.
Dawn Sets Course for Higher Orbit
After studying Ceres for more than eight months from its low-altitude science orbit, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft will move higher up for different views of the dwarf planet.
Late stars
The first stars were born much later than previously thought, ESA’s Planck reveals
Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite hit by space particle

ESA engineers have discovered that a solar panel on the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite was hit by a millimetre-size particle in orbit on 23 August. Thanks to onboard cameras, ground controllers were able to identify the affected area. So far, there has been no effect on the satellite’s routine operations.
Space for inspiration

Join us for an exploration of human spaceflight in science, industry and everyday life 14–15 September in London, UK
Space recovery USB
Human spaceflight and exploration image of the week: Recovery disk for International Space Station experiment
Galileo’s Ariane 5 arrives at Europe’s Spaceport

The first Ariane 5 rocket modified to carry four Galileo satellites into orbit has arrived at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for a November launch.
Powerful magnetars may give way to small black holes
The strongest magnets in the universe may have a shorter-than-expected shelf life.
The ‘promising’ SETI signal probably isn’t aliens
We haven’t made contact with anything.
An atypical protostar

Space Science Image of the Week: A peculiar, age-defying star as seen by ESA’s Herschel
NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star
For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young.
NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star
For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young.
Sentinel-1 provides new insight into Italy’s earthquake
On 24 August, an earthquake struck central Italy, claiming at least 290 lives and causing widespread damage. Satellite images are being used to help emergency aid organisations, while scientists have begun to analyse ground movement.
First satellite-based wildlife monitoring tool for airports
Wildlife habitats close to airports pose a serious risk to safety at takeoff and landing. Thanks to ESA, a new service lets airports use satellites to identify and manage these areas.
Russian SETI researchers are pursuing a promising signal
It may not be aliens, but something weird was picked up by Russian radio astronomers, who are now digging for answers.
NASA’s Juno Successfully Completes Jupiter Flyby
NASA’s Juno mission successfully executed its first of 36 orbital flybys of Jupiter today.
NASA’s Juno Successfully Completes Jupiter Flyby
NASA’s Juno mission successfully executed its first of 36 orbital flybys of Jupiter today.
Jupiter’s Extended Family? A Billion or More
The giant planet Jupiter could hold the secret to the formation of the solar system, of Earth itself, and of a billion or more “Jupiters” orbiting distant stars.
Jupiter’s Extended Family? A Billion or More
The giant planet Jupiter could hold the secret to the formation of the solar system, of Earth itself, and of a billion or more “Jupiters” orbiting distant stars.
Land shifts in Italy
The Sentinel-1A satellite has given us a picture of the ground deformation caused by the 24 August earthquake in Italy
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 22-26 August 2016
Bridging the Bosphorus

Sentinel-2A captured the progress of Turkey’s Third Bosphorus Bridge, which opens today
Astronomers find a galaxy thats mostly dark matter
Dragonfly 44 glows only faintly with starlight — but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.
NASA’s Juno to Soar Closest to Jupiter This Saturday
This Saturday, NASA’s Juno spacecraft will get closer to the cloud tops of Jupiter than at any other time during its prime mission.
NASA’s MISR Views America’s National Parks in 3-D
In honor of the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, new 3-D images from NASA’s MISR instrument showcase some of our nation’s natural treasures.
Spitzer Space Telescope Begins ‘Beyond’ Phase
Celebrating the spacecraft’s ability to push the boundaries of space science and technology, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope team has dubbed the next phase of its journey “Beyond.”
NASA’s MISR Views America’s National Parks in 3-D
In honor of the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, new 3-D images from NASA’s MISR instrument showcase some of our nation’s natural treasures.
Spitzer Space Telescope Begins ‘Beyond’ Phase
Celebrating the spacecraft’s ability to push the boundaries of space science and technology, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope team has dubbed the next phase of its journey “Beyond.”
NASA’s Juno to Soar Closest to Jupiter This Saturday
This Saturday, NASA’s Juno spacecraft will get closer to the cloud tops of Jupiter than at any other time during its prime mission.
FLEX takes on mutants

Because a plant isn’t green doesn’t mean it can’t photosynthesise as well as its more usual counterpart, but when measured by satellites, these non-green varieties skew results on plant health. FLEX is different. Experiments using ‘mutants’ show that colour won’t be an obstacle in this new mission’s task of mapping plant health from space.
Rosetta captures comet outburst
In unprecedented observations made earlier this year, Rosetta unexpectedly captured a dramatic comet outburst that may have been triggered by a landslide.
Rocking Soundcloud
ESA’s Soundcloud channel is now official: hear the latest sounds from mission control, the launch pad and deep space, including #SingingComet and the ISS warning alarm, a tone astronauts hope never to hear for real
Massive, short-lived stars may still form like the Sun
O-type stars live fast and die young, but their formative years look fairly familiar.
When does a small star become a brown dwarf?
Brown dwarfs, red dwarfs, ultracool stars … what’s the difference?
Ariane 5’s fourth launch this year
An Ariane 5, operated by Arianespace, has delivered two telecom satellites, Intelsat-33e and Intelsat-36, into their planned orbits.
NASA’s WISE, Fermi Missions Reveal a Surprising Blazar Connection
Astronomers studying distant galaxies powered by monster black holes have uncovered an unexpected link between two very different wavelengths of the light they emit, the mid-infrared and gamma rays.
35 Years On, Voyager’s Legacy Continues at Saturn
NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn 35 years ago. The Cassini mission has followed up on many of Voyager’s discoveries.
ESO Discovers Earth-Size Planet in Habitable Zone of Nearest Star
A newly discovered, roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable.
ESO Discovers Earth-Size Planet in Habitable Zone of Nearest Star
A newly discovered, roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable.
NASA’s WISE, Fermi Missions Reveal a Surprising Blazar Connection
Astronomers studying distant galaxies powered by monster black holes have uncovered an unexpected link between two very different wavelengths of the light they emit, the mid-infrared and gamma rays.
35 Years On, Voyager’s Legacy Continues at Saturn
NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn 35 years ago. The Cassini mission has followed up on many of Voyager’s discoveries.
ESAintouch
Help the jury decide the winning App by voting for your favourite ESAintouch prototype
Easy rider
Technology image of the week: astronaut Andreas Mogensen combines VR with an air-bearing platform to simulate weightlessness in 2D
The real thing
Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: assembling Orion service module in Bremen, Germany
Is Proxima Centauri b the most promising exoplanet yet?
Our nearest neighbor could be nearly perfect for the search for life on other planets.
NASA Symposium: Futuristic Space Exploration Concepts
JPL explores five new ideas for space exploration, including robotic mirrors and an art-inspired automaton.
Test for Damp Ground at Mars Streaks Finds None
Seasonal dark streaks on Mars that have become one of the hottest topics in interplanetary research don’t hold much water, according to new findings from a NASA Mars orbiter.
Test for Damp Ground at Mars’ Seasonal Streaks Finds None
Seasonal dark streaks on Mars that have become one of the hottest topics in interplanetary research don’t hold much water, according to new findings from a NASA Mars orbiter.