Building a rocket takes time and precision ⏳ This video shows a robot carefully layering an epoxy-impregnated carbon-fibre tape onto the surface of a P120C motor, used to power the Vega-C and Ariane 6 rockets. 📍🎥 Avio's Vega-C Production Factory

Over 300 000 parts working together for safety 🤝 Back-ups, testing, careful handling and safety algorithms are some of the key things that make sure #Ariane6 leaves Earth safely and reaches its destination.

European launchers are ramping up 🚀 ATD Aerospace, from Romania, is developing a 10 kN rocket that can re-ignite and adjust its thrust. The firing test seen here shows a water-cooled version as it cycles from 100% thrust to 60% and back to 100%. www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

Have you met Astris? 🤔 It's an orbital transfer vehicle under development for Ariane 6. Astris will add on Ariane 6's capabilities, by allowing it to transport payloads between orbits and reach more destinations. Here's how it will look ↓

The parts that will form the next #Ariane6 rocket have arrived Europe's Spaceport in . 🚢🚚🚀 The sixth Ariane 6 launch will be the first with four boosters, taking Amazon Leo satellites to orbit.

#ComingUp: Join us today at 10:30 CET for the start-of-the-year press briefing with ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher from ESA HQ in Paris. 📺 Watch Live on #ESAWebTV 🔗 watch.esa.int/two/

Everybody wants to feel cozy during winter 🧣 And that's how payloads feel under our fairings! Vega-C's fairing protects payloads from harmful natural environments (humidity, rain, sunlight, and dust particles) on the launch pad and from aero-thermal fluxes during the atmospheric flight phase.

Sailing into the new year ⛵️ Components for the next Ariane 6 flight #VA267 just arrived in French Guiana. Sailing ship Canopée regularly calls in at Bremen, Rotterdam, Le Havre and Bordeaux to pick up #Ariane6 components, before reaching Kourou, the warmest and sunniest destination among these ☀️

How's your energy for 2026? ⚡️ We're starting the year reminiscing about our last launch of 2025 ✨ Ariane 6 flight VA266 took Galileo satellites 33 and 34 into orbit. This is what you would see if you were at the foot of the rocket during liftoff ⬇️ PS: We don't really recommend you to do that.

Let's start 2026 dancing! 🕺 This animation shows how Space Rider could fly to an orbital platform and deliver payloads using a robotic arm as well as retrieving other payloads to return them to Earth. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcJ6...

As we're wrapping up 2025, let's take a moment to remember @esa.int's highlights! Here are some of ours: 🚀 3 Vega-C launches 🚀 4 Ariane 6 launches 🪂 drop tests for a Space Rider model 💨 advances on our Future Launchers Preparatory Programme and much more! 🥂 www.youtube.com/watch?v=obJb...

As you're preparing for 2026, don't forget to add the post-CM25 industry event to your calendars: 🗓️ 14 January 2026 📍 Online @esa.int Director General @josefaschbacher.esa.int and all ESA directors will present the outcome of the ESA Council at Ministerial Level 2025. www.esa.int/About_Us/Bus...

Europe’s next solid propellant rocket motor (it's a big one) passes review – to be used on #Ariane6 and Vega-C rockets: www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

Introducing ARIEL, a new 250 N thruster from Spanish company Arkadia that runs on hydrogen peroxide: www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

From the foot of the rocket to the skies 🚀 There are so many angles to see a liftoff from... Which one is your favourite?

📷 A look back at yesterday's #VA266 launch, #Ariane6 carrying Galileo satellites 33/34 into space! More pics just in. 👉 flic.kr/p/2rMbZ4x @ec.europa.eu @cnes.fr @transport.esa.int @euspa.bsky.social

🔴 Live now: watch the press-conference following the success of the 14th Galileo launch. 📺https://watch.esa.int/two/

What a great way to start the day! 🌞

#ICYMI Earlier this morning we saw liftoff of Ariane 6 for Galileo launch 14 #VA266 Two more Galileo satellites are heading to medium Earth orbit to join Europe's navigation service constellation 🛰️🛰️ Stay tuned for satellite separation later! @esa.int @euspa.bsky.social @cnes.fr

Liftoff 🚀 @euspa.bsky.social @cnes.fr

Teams from ESA Transport and ESA Navigation have been working together for a long time 🫰 Last night they saw the mobile gantry starting to roll back, revealing Europe's rocket to the sky with two Galileo navigation satellites shielded inside the fairing.

🔴 LIVE NOW

Ariane 6 and Galileo have a long history together 🫰 12 Galileo satellites have been launched aboard 3 Ariane 5 rockets. Tomorrow, Ariane 6 will launch two more. Are you ready for launch? Liftoff is planned for 17 December 05:01 GMT/06:01 CET. This animation shows what to expect. #VA266

As we gear up for liftoff of #Ariane6 with two more Galileo satellites to join the navigation constellation on 17 December at 05:01 GMT/06:01 CET, here's what to expect for flight #VA266

Don't forget to set your alarm clock earlier tonight to watch the Ariane 6 #VA266 Galileo launch live. Broadcast starts at 04:35 GMT/05:35 CET so don't be late ☕️ www.esa.int/Applications...

Rocket ready! The two Galileo navigation satellites that #Ariane6 will launch into space are now on top of their launcher. 🛰️🛰️ Countdown to liftoff: 17 December 🚀

📺 Watch the Ariane 6 #VA266 Galileo launch live next week on 17 December! ☕️ But you'll have to get up early... our #ESAwebTV broadcast begins at 04:35 GMT/05:35 CET on Wednesday morning! 😉👇

News from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana 🗞️ The Bâtiment Assembleur Lanceur (BIL) building will now be refurbished by Avio to assemble the Vega-C and future Vega-E launchers, allowing more Vega rockets to be launched a year. The building will be rebranded as the Vega Assembly Building (VAB).

🛰️ Final preparations – the next two Galileo navigation satellites to be launched are inside the Ariane 6 fairing for flight #VA266. Inside the protective ‘nose cone’ the satellites will not see sunlight until after liftoff on 17 December.

Hi there, Romania! 🇷🇴 A participating state contributing 0.3% to the Ariane 6 development programme up to the inaugural flight. Many Romanian companies contribute elements as subcontractors, providing the solid base to make Ariane 6 soar, reliably. Discover more about them below ⬇️

On 17 December, two Galileo navigation satellites – 33 and 34 – will be launched on #Ariane6 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. 🚀🛰️🛰️ This launch will be Galileo’s first flight on Europe's heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6.

🛰️ Preparing for liftoff – the next Galileo satellites have been mounted to their Ariane 6 dispenser that will eject them from the rocket's upper stage into their initial orbit around Earth. www.esa.int/Applications...

🔴 #LiveNow: the pre-launch media briefing for the launch of two #Galileo satellites on Ariane 6 #VA266, on #ESAWebTV until 12:00 CET. (Event in English) 📺 watch.esa.int/two @euspa.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu @cnes.fr @transport.esa.int @thalesaleniaspace.bsky.social @thalesaleniaspace.bsky.social

🛰️ All Galileo launches in one graphic. Next week, two Galileo satellites will be launched on #Ariane6, the 14th launch of the programme. Europe's navigation system serves billions of users and has over 30 satellites in orbit. 🔎https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/12/Galileo_launch_history

🛰️🛰️The two Galileo satellites to launch on Ariane 6 in two weeks have been placed on their dispenser at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. From this point onward, they will travel as one unit through the final steps of launch preparation. 🚀

Journalists are invited to join online media briefings in six languages for the launch of two more Galileo navigation satellites on #Ariane6 flight #VA266. Register by 8 December 15:00 GMT/16:00 CET: www.esa.int/Newsroom/Pre...

🚀Liftoff for Europe's #VegaC rocket, propelling Kompsat-7 Earth-observer to a sun-synchronous orbit, 1 December 14:21 local time at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana (17:21 GMT, 18:21 CET), flight #VV28. www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

🚀Vega-C set to launch Kompsat-7 (KOrea Multi-Purpose SATellite-7) for high-resolution images of Earth. 📅Liftoff: 1 December 14:21 local time (17:21 GMT, 18:21 CET). 🔢Flight #VV28 run by Arianespace. 🔗https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Kompsat-7_launch_on_Vega-C

🛰️ One step closer to launch – Galileo satellites fuelled! 🛰️ Once in orbit – after liftoff on Ariane 6🚀– this fuel will power the satellites to their final position and keep them precisely aligned, ready to benefit the billions of people who use Galileo daily. www.esa.int/Applications...

At #CM25, @esa.int Member States defined clear directions for space transportation and took the decisions required for ESA to execute them: secure autonomous and resilient access to space for Europe while we prepare the next generation together with European industry. www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

We expect our #CM25 Press Conference livestream to now begin at 12:30 GMT13:30 CET. Thank you for bearing with us during this slight delay!

Our Ministerial Council starts today. Watch the first session live from 12.30 GMT/13.30 CET to know everything about ESA's future roadmap and budget. #CM25 📺 watch.esa.int More details 👉 www.esa.int/About_Us/Min...

Europe holds a distinct advantage in space. Through ESA, Europe can act swiftly and decisively to grow its leadership, resilience and autonomy. #CM25 www.linkedin.com/pulse/all-un...

On 26–27 November, the @esa.int Ministerial Council will take place. Toni Tolker-Nielsen outlines how these decisions will shape the future of space transportation. #CM25 Full interview: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

France has played a vital role in making the #Ariane6 a reality, contributing 55.6% to the Ariane 6 development programme up to its inaugural flight from French Guiana 🚀🇫🇷🧵

Norway’s icy landscapes are a dream for both Northern lights lovers and space fanatics. 🇳🇴 In 1987 Norway became a full member of @esa.int and these are the country's contributions to Europe's heavy-lift rocket #Ariane6 🚀 www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

The word rocket comes from the Italian "rochetta", a spindle for winding thread 🧵🚀 Italy 🇮🇹 contributes 7.7% of the funding of the #Ariane6 programme, delivering these components that make up Europe's heavy-lift rocket. www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

This makes us smile 🙂

Galileo to take its first flight on Ariane 6 on 17 December at 05:01 GMT/06:01 CET (02:01 local time at Europe's Spaceport) 🚀 Two ec.europa.eu Galileo satellites will join the constellation providing the world’s most precise satellite navigation system. 🛰️🛰️ www.esa.int/Applications...

A container needs a lid, but what if the container is a cryogenic propellant tank? The Phoebus project is overcoming extremes in material science to contain liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen with carbon fibre – and more: www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...