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What began with tragedy ended in triumph. This is the untold story of the European Space Agency’s pioneering 25-year Cluster mission to study how invisible solar storms impact Earth's environment.

Like a ship in a never-ending storm, Earth is bombarded by swarms of particles ejected from the Sun at supersonic speeds. Most of these solar wind particles are deflected by the magnetosphere and sail harmlessly by, but Earth’s shield is not bulletproof.

Since 2000, Cluster sailed the seas of the Sun and revealed the complexities of the Sun–Earth connection. After two-and-a-half incredibly successful decades in space, ESA took the decision

Krakow — The European Commission on Oct.

Image: Flickering flame: spooky spirits or serious science?

London, UK (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
Xairos UK Ltd has launched Phase 2 of its quantum time transfer project supported by the European Space Agency's Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP). Acting as prime contractor, Xairos leads a consortium with ViaSat and Heriot-Watt University to improve the precision and security of timing synchronization between terrestrial and satellite clocks using quantum technology. T

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
Astronomers have captured a striking cloud of gas and dust shaped like a bat high above the European Southern Observatory's Paranal site in Chile. The cosmic bat was imaged by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), whose expansive field of view revealed a nebula spanning four full Moons. Located roughly 10,000 light-years away, this nebula lies between the southern constellations Circinus and Nor

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
OrbitsIQ Global, a Luxembourg-headquartered telecommunications company focused on integrating satellite and terrestrial connectivity for mobile assets, has acquired UNIO Enterprise, a Munich-based broadband connectivity provider that integrates space-based and ground networks, including 4G and 5G. Both firms will collaborate to advance seamless connectivity solutions for vehicles, planes, and bo

Durham NC (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
In the early days of space exploration, satellites were rare. Each launch was a feat of engineering and ambition, sending machines far above the Earth into orbits where they could drift undisturbed. These high-altitude paths offered vast expanses of space, minimizing the risk of collision. The sky was a lot quieter. These days, however, "aim higher" is no longer the mantra. Low Earth

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
Momentus Inc., a U.S. commercial space company, will partner with DPhi Space to fly a Clustergate-2 edge computing payload on its upcoming Vigoride 7 mission, scheduled for launch in early 2026. The payload will enable direct software deployment and AI agent testing in orbit. Clustergate-2 functions as a modular platform allowing users to develop, upload, and operate software applications on a s

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched its HTV-X cargo vehicle to the International Space Station (ISS) on October 26, 2025, from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. This vehicle serves as a successor to JAXA's previous HTV "Kounotori" and is designed to deliver essential supplies and scientific payloads to the station over multiple missions. On its first jo

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 31, 2025
Tschudi Shipping Company, NAL Research, and SGM Technology AS have launched PntGuard, a standalone maritime navigation security system designed to counter increasing incidents of GNSS and GPS spoofing and jamming at sea. PntGuard functions independently from other ship bridge infrastructure and is comprised of an above-deck receiver connected to the Iridium satellite network and a below-deck bri