SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 08, 2013
As America has reduced its space funding and capabilities, the European Space Agency has turned to the new rising power in space: China. Though obstacles remain, collaboration could one day take a European-Chinese crew to the moon. By Kevin Holden Platt in Beijing more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- November 21, 2012
The European Space Agency has a new budget and member states have also set aside a bitter debate over the future of the Ariane rocket, the program's commercial workhorse. All sides are happy -- and Russia may even benefit from the deal. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- November 09, 2012
Astronomers have long had a basic understanding of how stars are formed. But observing and proving the theory has proven elusive. Now, a German-American project, complete with an infrared telescope mounted on an old Pan Am 747, is providing new insights. By Olaf Stampf more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 02, 2012
Volunteers and professionals at the Austrian Space Forum are testing a prototype Mars space suit in a series of ice caves that provide conditions similar to those on the Red Planet. Humanity is still far away from a manned mission to the planet, but the enthusiasts here believe it will actually happen one day. By Christoph Seidler more... [ Video | Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 17, 2012
Scientists warn that the amount of space debris orbiting the planet has reached a dangerously high level. But a new miniature satellite has been designed to clean up this cosmic clutter -- by the paragons of tidiness themselves, the Swiss. By Christoph Seidler more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 01, 2012
Europe's space industry, cash-strapped as a result of the debt crisis, wants to step up cooperation with China, which has an ambitious program and is building a moon-landing vehicle and capsules for manned missions. Such an alliance would likely cause tensions with the US. By Christian Schwägerl more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- January 30, 2012
Last October, the German research satellite Rosat plunged into the Bay of Bengal, more than 20 years after it had been launched into orbit. But had it remained aloft for just seven more minutes, it would have landed in Beijing instead, new calculations show. By Christian Schwägerl more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- January 26, 2012
A new consortium of EU researchers is exploring options for dealing with an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Plenty of ideas are already on the table, such as deflection with projectiles or explosives and using gravity to pull it off course. But the project's complexity and costs are problematic. By Christoph Seidler more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- October 21, 2011
It is years behind schedule. But on Friday, two satellites belonging to the European navigation system Galileo are heading into orbit. The system promises to be more precise than anything currently available. But Europe has paid dearly for its autonomy. By Christoph Seidler more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- October 19, 2011
For the first time, a Russian Soyuz rocket will lift off from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana this week. The site's proximity to the equator allows the rocket to carry larger payloads into space. But technical problems and cultural differences have plagued the partnership. By Hilmar Schmundt more...
