Space
European Satellite Firm Challenges SpaceX Dominance
A Belgian-founded European space company receives substantial EU investment to build satellites and establish European independence from US providers. The firm aims to develop over 200 satellites for secure European communications infrastructure.
Astronomers Detect Universe's Missing Ordinary Matter
Astronomers have finally located the long-sought ordinary matter comprising roughly 5% of the universe. The discovery solves a decades-old cosmic puzzle through detection methods previously unavailable to researchers.
Giant Telescope Mirror Polished to Atomic Precision
The European Southern Observatory's Extremely Large Telescope, scheduled for 2030 deployment in Chile's Atacama Desert, has its 931 mirror segments produced and polished to atomic precision in a French factory. The project represents breakthrough precision engineering.
French Schools Block as Students Protest, Astronaut Returns
French high school students continued blockading schools nationwide this week while astronaut Sophie Adenot returned from eight months aboard the International Space Station. The country also marked three years since October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.
NASA releases over 800GB of Artemis II mission archive
NASA published extensive science data from the Artemis II lunar mission, including over 11,000 photos and videos, crew-annotated content, and 8.5 hours of audio. The archive provides unprecedented access to Moon-mission materials for researchers and space enthusiasts.
French Astronaut Sophie Adenot Returns from Space
French astronaut Sophie Adenot returned to Earth after eight months aboard the International Space Station and reports experiencing profound emotional and physical challenges upon reentry. She describes the 237-day mission as transformative yet physically demanding.
MIT astronomers discover star consuming brown dwarf for billions years
Researchers have identified an unusual stellar system three hundred light-years away where a small star is gradually consuming a nearby brown dwarf through a process that could continue for billions of years. The discovery provides rare insight into slow stellar cannibalism.