Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
NASA’s Agency Chief Technologist presents their first annual year-in-review for 2023
-
Similar Topics
-
By European Space Agency
Image: ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s first mission to the International Space Station now has a name: εpsilon. The mission name and patch were announced today at the Paris Air Show by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Sophie Adenot, who joined remotely from the United States, where she is training for her spaceflight.
Sophie Adenot is one of the five astronauts selected from ESA’s most recent astronaut class of 2022. Following the successful completion of their basic training in spring 2024, Josef Aschbacher announced during the Space Council in Brussels that Sophie and fellow graduate Raphaël Liégois had been assigned their first missions to the International Space Station, currently planned for 2026.
The εpsilon name and patch reflect the power of small, yet impactful contributions and how multiple parts unite to create a whole.
In mathematics, “ε” represents something small. In the extensive collaborative effort of space exploration, involving thousands of participants, all roles, including the astronaut's role, stay small yet meaningful.
The hummingbird, central to the patch, embodies this idea; though one of Earth’s smallest birds, it plays a crucial role in the jungle’s ecosystem, pollinating numerous plants.
Encircling the patch is a ring of small dots, symbolising the many small contributions that together make great achievements possible. All these little actions that can be coordinated to form a circle and close the loop. At the top, three of these dots are coloured – blue, white, and red – representing Sophie’s home country, France, and ESA’s exploration destinations: Earth, the Moon, and Mars.
The name εpsilon, being the fifth Greek letter and the fifth brightest star of the Leo constellation, also follows the French tradition to name human spaceflight missions after celestial bodies. It also pays tribute to the five career astronauts of ESA’s 2022 class.
Three lines emerge from the “i” of the εpsilon, shaping the tail of a shooting star, a poetic reminder that dreams keep us alive.
At the base of the patch lies a rounded blue shape, representing Earth’s surface and its natural beauty: mountains, forests and landscapes that Sophie enjoys exploring. It serves as a reminder of our motivation for spaceflight: to explore, learn, and return with this knowledge to benefit life on Earth.
From an emotional perspective, the same message is conveyed. In life's intricate tapestry, small threads contribute to create the most beautiful patterns. A kind word, a gentle smile, a moment of patience - these seemingly insignificant actions can transform lives and shape destinies. This patch invites each of us to embrace the potential of our smallest actions as they ripple outward, touching hearts and inspiring souls.
During her εpsilon mission, Sophie will perform numerous scientific experiments, many of them European, conduct medical research, support Earth observation and contribute to operations and maintenance aboard the International Space Station.
View the full article
-
By Space Force
Registration is now open for the United States Space Force’ s second annual Artificial Intelligence Challenge.
View the full article
-
By European Space Agency
Today, the European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission unveils its first images of the Sun’s outer atmosphere – the solar corona. The mission’s two satellites, able to fly as a single spacecraft thanks to a suite of onboard positioning technologies, have succeeded in creating their first ‘artificial total solar eclipse’ in orbit. The resulting coronal images demonstrate the potential of formation flying technologies, while delivering invaluable scientific data that will improve our understanding of the Sun and its enigmatic atmosphere.
View the full article
-
By European Space Agency
Video: 00:01:40 Proba-3 artificially created what is normally a rare natural phenomenon: a total solar eclipse.
In a world first, ESA’s Proba-3 satellites flew in perfect formation, blocking the Sun’s bright disc to reveal its fiery corona. This enigmatic outer layer burns millions of degrees hotter than the Sun’s surface and drives the solar storms that can disrupt life on Earth.
With its first artificial eclipse, Proba-3 has captured detailed images of this mysterious region, offering scientists new insights into our star’s behaviour.
Read the full story here.
Access the related broadcast qality footage.
View the full article
-
By European Space Agency
Thanks to its newly tilted orbit around the Sun, the European Space Agency-led Solar Orbiter spacecraft is the first to image the Sun’s poles from outside the ecliptic plane. Solar Orbiter’s unique viewing angle will change our understanding of the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle and the workings of space weather.
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.