European Space Agency (ESA)

Polymateria

Polymateria is a UK-based company founded in 2015 that has developed a masterbatch that makes synthetic polymers biodegradable. IDTechEx spoke with Global Key Account Manager Celine Moreira.

New Evidence for Liquid Water Beneath the South Polar Ice Cap of Mars

An international team of researchers has revealed new evidence for the possible existence of liquid water beneath the south polar ice cap of Mars. The researchers used spacecraft laser-altimeter measurements of the shape of the upper surface of the ice cap to identify subtle patterns in its height. They then showed that these patterns match computer model predictions for how a body of water beneath the ice cap would affect the surface.

NASA's DART Mission Hits Asteroid in First-Ever Planetary Defense Test

After 10 months flying in space, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) - the world's first planetary defense technology demonstration - successfully impacted its asteroid target on Monday, the agency's first attempt to move an asteroid in space.

UP Catalyst

UP Catalyst is an Estonian manufacturer and provider of carbon nanomaterials made from waste carbon dioxide and biomass. In July 2022, IDTechEx Technology Analyst Dr Hydra Rodrigues spoke with Dr Gary Urb, CEO and Co-founder, Daren Clare, Account Manager, and Jila Svicevic, Media Communication Specialist at UP Catalyst.

NASA's Webb Detects Carbon Dioxide in Exoplanet Atmosphere

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first clear evidence for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. This observation of a gas giant planet orbiting a Sun-like star 700 light-years away provides important insights into the composition and formation of the planet.

Sharpest Image Ever of Universe's Most Massive Known Star

By harnessing the capabilities of the 8.1-meter Gemini South telescope in Chile, which is part of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF's NOIRLab, astronomers have obtained the sharpest image ever of the star R136a1, the most massive known star in the Universe. Their research challenges our understanding of the most massive stars and suggests that they may not be as massive as previously thought.

Webb's Jupiter Images Showcase Auroras, Hazes

With giant storms, powerful winds, auroras, and extreme temperature and pressure conditions, Jupiter has a lot going on. Now, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured new images of the planet. Webb's Jupiter observations will give scientists even more clues to Jupiter's inner life.

International Space Station Tests Organisms, Materials in Space

Space may look empty, but it contains extreme temperatures, high levels of background radiation, micrometeoroids, and the unfiltered glare of the Sun. In addition, materials and equipment on the outside of the International Space Station are exposed to atomic oxygen and other charged particles as it orbits the Earth at the very edge of our atmosphere. Only the hardiest materials, equipment, and organisms can withstand this harsh environment, and scientists conducting research on the orbiting laboratory have identified some of them for a variety of potential uses.

Scientists Reveal Dark Matter Around Galaxies 12 Billion Years Ago

One of Nagoya University's leading research centers has made another groundbreaking discovery, looking back into parts of space further than ever before. Seeing something that happened such a long time ago is difficult. Because of the finite speed of light, we see distant galaxies not as they are today, but as they were billions of years ago. But even more challenging is observing dark matter, which does not emit light.

Webb Captures Stellar Gymnastics in The Cartwheel Galaxy

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has peered into the chaos of the Cartwheel Galaxy, revealing new details about star formation and the galaxy's central black hole. Webb's powerful infrared gaze produced this detailed image of the Cartwheel and two smaller companion galaxies against a backdrop of many other galaxies. This image provides a new view of how the Cartwheel Galaxy has changed over billions of years.

Bringing 3D Printing to the Moon with Laser and AI

Scientists are planning a flight to the Moon to melt lunar dust with laser radiation. In the Moonrise project, the research team wants to explore the question of how we can use lasers to build landing sites, roads or buildings out of lunar dust in the future.

ARTI — Navigation Software for Autonomous Vehicles

ARTI are an Austrian-based company providing navigation software for autonomous guided vehicles. The company was started in 2019 with six founders and now has 12 people.

Netled

Netled is a Finland-based vertical farming turnkey solutions provider, providing customers with access to the requisite technology and expertise for construction of a vertical farm. IDTechEx Analyst Brendan Beh spoke with Netled International Sales Manager Thomas Dilley on the 16th of May, 2022.

Hubble Reaches New Milestone in Mystery of Universe's Expansion Rate

Pursuit of the universe's expansion rate began in the 1920s with measurements by astronomers Edwin P. Hubble and Georges Lemaître. In 1998, this led to the discovery of "dark energy," a mysterious repulsive force accelerating the universe's expansion. In recent years, thanks to data from Hubble and other telescopes, astronomers found another twist: a discrepancy between the expansion rate as measured in the local universe compared to independent observations from right after the big bang, which predict a different expansion value.

Orbex Shows First Full-scale Microlauncher Rocket Developed in Europe

The unveiling of the first of a new generation of European launch vehicles - designed to launch a new category of very small satellites to orbit - represents a major step forward for the British rocket company as it prepares for the first ever vertical rocket launch to orbit from UK soil. Orbex´s Prime rocket is the first 'micro-launcher' developed in Europe to reach this stage of technical readiness.