When we think of space exploration, we picture towering rockets, satellites orbiting Earth and astronaut footprints on the moon.

The Maxar name is disappearing from the space industry as two successor companies emerge with distinct identities: Maxar Intelligence will now operate as Vantor, and Maxar Space Systems will go by Lanteris

Following its arrival in California a few weeks ago, the time has come for spacecraft engineers to ready the next sea-level monitoring satellite, Copernicus Sentinel-6B, for launch, which is slated for November.

The first step has been to carefully remove this precious new satellite from its storage container and to start a series of comprehensive checks.

Scientists digging through data collected by the Cassini spacecraft have found new complex organic molecules spewing from Saturn’s moon Enceladus. This is a clear sign that complex chemical reactions are taking place within its underground ocean. Some of these reactions could be part of chains that lead to even more complex, potentially biologically relevant molecules.

Published today in Nature Astronomy, this discovery further strengthens the case for a dedicated European Space Agency (ESA) mission to orbit and land on Enceladus.