Gaia liftoff

Soyuz VS06, with Gaia space observatory, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport, French Guiana, on 19 December…

Gaia launch – Lift-off

Watch a replay of ESA's billion-star surveyor Gaia launching into space at 09:12UT/10:12CET on 19 December

Gaia launch replay highlights

ESA’s Gaia mission blasted off on 19 December 2013 on a Soyuz rocket from Europe’s Spaceport…

Gaia launch – Full replay

Watch the full replay of the launch coverage of ESA's billion-star surveyor Gaia. Liftoff occurred at…

Orlan and airlock operations exercise

Before being allowed into the vacuum chamber for a  vacuum test, and certainly before any further…

Valencia

Valencia, Spain, seen from over 300 km above Earth by an astronaut on the International Space…

3D printing, close up

Technology image of the week: Microscopic scan of 3D-printed titanium alloy created by laser melting

Update from Kourou the day before launch day

ESA's Gaia mission is set for lift off from Kourou to produce an unprecedented 3D map…

Highlights 2013

2013 has been a year of firsts, farewells and astonishing findings. It began with ESA astronaut…

Preview 2014

2014 has all the elements to become an interesting year for Europe in space... Exciting launches,…