On 9 June, NASA announced the crew for the Artemis III mission, which includes ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot. ESA is also providing its third European Service Module for this crewed test flight in Earth orbit, which will be key for the mission’s objective to test rendezvous and docking capabilities ahead of future lunar landing missions. Along with Luca, three NASA astronauts will fly on this mission: commander Randy Bresnik and lander specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. The crew now begins a rigorous training schedule to learn the Orion spacecraft systems, as well

NASA has announced the crew for the Artemis III mission, which includes ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot. ESA is also providing its third European Service Module for this crewed test flight in Earth orbit, which will be key for the mission’s objective to test rendezvous and docking capabilities ahead of future lunar landing missions.

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano talks about his assignment as the test pilot for the Artemis III mission, announced by NASA on 9 June 2026 in a press conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, United States.

Artemis III is planned as a crewed test flight in Earth orbit to demonstrate systems and operations required for future lunar landing missions planned from Artemis IV onwards.

ESA is also providing its third European Service Module for this mission, the powerhouse of the NASA Orion spacecraft which houses the crew during their journey.

On 9 June, NASA announced the crew for the Artemis III mission, which includes ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot. ESA is also providing its third European Service Module for this crewed test flight in Earth orbit, which will be key for the mission’s objective to test rendezvous and docking capabilities ahead of future lunar landing missions. Along with Luca, three NASA astronauts will fly on this mission: commander Randy Bresnik and lander specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. The crew now begins a rigorous training schedule to learn the Orion spacecraft systems, as well

The Proba-3 mission’s Coronagraph spacecraft and its main scientific instrument, ASPIICS, are both at full health, ready to resume routine formation flying operations and deliver more breathtaking artificial eclipses.

For decades, economic growth and fossil-fuel consumption have been tightly intertwined. As cities have expanded, rising prosperity has often been accompanied by worsening air pollution. New research, however, suggests that this relationship is changing – and satellite data are helping to prove it.

Under the theme 'Space4Future', the European Space Agency (ESA) will welcome visitors to the Space Pavilion at ILA Berlin International Airshow, Hall B, from 10 to 14 June. From Moon exploration to climate monitoring, from navigation and telecommunication to European launchers, visitors to the pavilion will discover how space is shaping our future.

The European Space Agency (ESA) signed an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), hailing a new era of cooperation with the aim of advancing the use of Earth observation data and services for development and impact finance initiatives.

English

How does Europe study the Sun? Discover the missions revealing the secrets of our closest star, from SOHO and Solar Orbiter to Proba-3, which is creating artificial solar eclipses in space to unlock new insights into the Sun's mysterious corona.

Featuring ESA Reserve Astronaut Sara García Alonso.

Spanish 

¿Cómo se estudia el Sol desde Europa? Acompaña a Sara García Alonso en un recorrido por las misiones de la ESA que observan nuestra estrella, desde SOHO y Solar Orbiter hasta Proba-3, que está creando eclipses solares artificiales en el espacio para investigar la misteriosa corona solar.

Con Sara García Alonso, astronauta de