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Europe must become less dependent on Nasa’s technology and exploration programmes if it wants to keep its status as a major space power, according to the head of the European Space Agency.

The Italian space agency, ASI, has signed an agreement with SpaceX for an uncrewed mission to Mars aboard one of the company’s Starship rockets. Announced on 7 August, the agreement includes provisions for several payloads, including a plant growth experiment, a radiation sensor, and a meteorological monitoring station. ASI expects to collect data not only during the mission’s six-month interplanetary cruise but also throughout its time on the Martian surface.

SpaceX is preparing to launch the KF-02 mission on Saturday morning, sending Amazon's Kuiper satellites into space from Florida. The launch, which was originally set for Thursday, was pushed back to Friday to allow for more vehicle checks. On Friday, SpaceX postponed the launch again for reasons unknown.

New questions have been raised over the possibility of life on Mars after Nasa's Curiosity rover found a coral-shaped rock on the planet's surface. The rover, launched in 2011, has captured new images from our closest planetary neighbour - sparking a flurry of speculation.

The Hellenic Defense Innovation Center (ELKAK) has announced a €25 million tender for the development of Greece’s first domestically-produced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellite, intended for use by the Greek Armed Forces. Revealed on July 31, the competition marks a meaningful step in Greece’s ambition to strengthen its space defence capabilities and strategic independence.

"Several elements of the European Union's Space Act would unduly harm international competition and uniquely disadvantage American firms." - US Perspective

On 25th June, EU Defence and Space Commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, unveiled the EU Space Act, a legislative initiative aimed at harmonising space activity regulation across the EU. The Act seeks to create a unified legal framework to boost the safety, resilience, and sustainability of the EU space sector, while enhancing its global competitiveness.

Space exploration has now developed into an area of global economic growth, with the involvement of superpower states and various private companies. The rapid advancement of space technology over the past decade has enabled non-state actors, including private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, to take on central roles in satellite launches, orbital infrastructure development, space tourism, and moon resource exploitation plans.

On July 23rd, ALL.SPACE, a leading satellite communications (SATCOM) provider, was given €3.42m in funding from ESA. The funds will go to ALL.SPACE’s “Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity” strategic programme under the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) action.

A new CubeSat developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) has made it to orbit as a part of the Direct Access Live Demonstration (LIDE) mission. Aiming to test the feasibility and demonstrate the establishment of a stable 5G connection from low Earth orbit, LIDE serves as a proof-of-concept to provide connectivity anywhere in the world, especially in underserved areas.

A milestone in space communication was celebrated in the Greek capital on Wednesday, as the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) was formally recognized by the European Space Agency (ESA) for its pivotal role in the first-ever optical communication link with a spacecraft in deep space, a landmark achievement in international space collaboration.

This year will mark the European Space Agency’s 50th anniversary and promises to be a landmark year for the European aerospace industry. This spring brings the second commercial mission involving a project astronaut to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4, while events such as ESA's Living Planet Symposium and the International Paris Air Show will gather the space community face to face.