“[My] launchpad is my country, Italy…The European Space Agency is like a launch tower… the rocket, literally and figuratively, is NASA.”
@ESA astronaut and Artemis III pilot @Astro_Luca shares words of gratitude.
Au vu du planning, il y a un Europeen dans cette mission. Le DG de l’@esa@AschbacherJosef est sur place et doit intervenir.
Moins de 10 mn et on saura.
@NASAArtemis@NASA
Where are you spending your summer days? 🏖️
If you can’t constantly keep your toes in the sand, here are some photos to enjoy as the International @Space_Station orbited approximately 250 miles over popular beach destinations. Do you recognize any of these getaways?
ALT (28 July 2014) --- Flying 225 nautical miles above the Hawaiian Ridge in the North Pacific Ocean, one of the Expedition 40 crew members on the International Space Station photographed this oblique panorama showing many of the islands in the Hawaiian chain, some of them highlighted by sun glint. Hawaii or the "Big Island" is largely covered by clouds at right center. Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokai are more easily spotted because of the sun glint near frame center. Oahu is almost totally hidden by clouds at bottom center, and Niihau and Kauai are out of the frame. Part of one of the orbital outpost's solar panels is obvious at top center.
ALT (08/30/2014) -- Cancún, Mexico. A long lens was used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station to take this image, and it highlights many natural and built features. The street pattern of Mexico’s tourist mecca, Cancún, contrasts with the waterways of the marinas that open into the bay and the lagoons. Brilliant blue water over coral reefs contrast with the dark waters of inland lagoons. The reefs are the second largest reef system on Earth, and draw tourists from all over the world. The wide, well developed beach on the gulf coast (image upper right) is the result of vigorous wave energy; the white sand makes the beach easily visible from space. But wave energy is reduced along Cancún’s protected shoreline (image center) and the beaches are thin or non-existant. Fair-weather cumulus clouds are scattered across the image top left.
ALT (April 23, 2019) -- This view of the eastern coast of the United States looks from (bottom left to right center) Virginia Beach, Virginia, all the way to Miami, Florida. The International Space Station was orbiting 256 miles above North America about to cross the Atlantic Ocean when an Expedition 59 crew member took this photograph.
ALT (July 24, 2024) -- The clear blue waters surrounding The Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean are pictured from the International Space Station as it soared 258 miles above.
A historic partnership dedicated to advancing commercial human spaceflight. Thank you to France, @EmmanuelMacron, @CNES for your leadership, and to @ESA for its support as we work together toward two crewed missions in 2027.
Photo taken at Choose France 2026 event on June 1, 2026, in Versailles, Paris, with @AschbacherJosef, @arno_astro, @Thom_astro, @LionelSuchet, @maxhaot, and Giorgio Saccoccia.
Announcement blog post: vastspace.com/updates/france…
Pour ceux qui aiment les montres et l'espace, il y en a avec un design original (style poster du JPL) sur Kickstarter (financement participatif).
kickstarter.com/projects/ast…
Atlas V has delivered another 29 Leo satellites to low Earth orbit, adding coverage and capacity to the network and bringing Leo one step closer to connecting customers around the world.
Next up: Leo Europe 3 (LE-03) and Leo Atlas 8 (LA-08).
More updates here: spr.ly/6015B8jT3Z
🇫🇷 Today at Choose France, President @EmmanuelMacron announced a historic agreement with Vast for 2 astronaut missions: @Thom_astro to the International Space Station and @Arno_astro to Haven-1. Vast will also establish its European Headquarters in Paris. vastspace.com/updates/france…
On Tuesday, June 9, we’ll announce the four astronauts who will orbit Earth aboard the @NASAArtemis III mission!
Watch our live event at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) to find out who will test the docking capabilities necessary for crewed Moon landings: nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-t…
ALT The Artemis II mission patch is seen on the right shoulder of four orange Orion Crew Survival System suits on Jan. 17, 2026, in the suit-up room of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission patch contains imagery of the Moon and the Earth. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Introducing Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1), chosen by @NASA to transport crew across the lunar surface and support the construction of a permanent lunar base.
Adapted from our FLEX rover architecture reflecting NASA’s revised approach to lunar surface mobility, CLV-1 is designed to support astronaut operations, science activities, and cargo logistics on the Moon.
NASA has selected Astrolab as one of two providers of a crewed lunar rover for the Artemis program, advancing the agency’s plans to establish sustained surface mobility at the lunar south pole.
Read the full announcement: astrolab.space/2026/05/26/na…
ALT Artist render of 2 astronauts driving Astrolab's CLV-1 rover on the lunar surface with the Earth visible over the rover in the background.