Space science for your heart 🫀
At the edge of space, European researchers injected blood samples into this circuit and measured how hard blood needs to be pumped to flow in microgravity.
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Woop woop, looks who's on its way to Europe's spaceport, in French Guiana! 🛳️🌊
Taking stuff to space is one of our favourite things to do.
Drawings included.
The launch is set for liftoff on 17 June 2026 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana with a launch window of 08:53–09:22 local time (12:53–13:22 BST, 13:53–14:22 CEST).
Months of work crammed into a few minutes ⏱️ #VV29
This timelapse shows the journey of @science.esa.int/CAS Smile mission from a cleanroom at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana to space.
Our job is done, now it's time for Smile to observe how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetosphere.
We're committed to save as much energy as possible while building rockets.
@esa.int and French energy provider EDF signed an agreement to continue and expand energy efficiency at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...
This partnership started back in 2019 and allows for new initiatives like:
🧊 the ice storage system at Europropulsion, where ice is made when electricity is available from solar sources to cool buildings when solar power is not available
♨️ a heat pump for the Regulus Premix 344 building
The test-firing shown in the video focused on throttle capabilities that will allow Miura 5’s first stage to control itself on reentry, firing up after liftoff and touching down softly for landing.
Miura 5 will be launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
🎥 PLD Space
Our next flight will be the most powerful version of Ariane 6 so far, thanks to an upgrade:
The P120C boosters will be replaced by the P160C version, with 14 tonnes more solid propellant per booster.
Flight #VA269 is set for 17 June and will take 36 Amazon Leo satellites to low Earth orbit.
This video shows a test-firing of PLD Space's Teprel-C engine, one of the several tests of its hot-fire test campaign.
These test campaigns were developed in collaboration with @esa.int's Future Launcher Preparatory Programme.
