How ESA Bakes the Largest Mars Parachute to Prevent Forward Contamination
ESA heats a 35‑m nylon‑Kevlar parachute to a sterile level before its 2028 launch, protecting Mars from Earth microbes and ensuring clean science.
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CosmicBear — a science and technology website covering space, astronomy, scientific discoveries, research, and fascinating facts about our universe and the world around us.
Europe’s August 12, 2026 Total Solar Eclipse: Live from Javalambre Observatory
ESA broadcast the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse from Spain’s Javalambre Observatory, highlighting the science and public impact of the event.
PLATO’s electronics cleared for space: what the test means
ESA confirms PLATO’s electronics passed electromagnetic compatibility tests, clearing the final hurdle before its March 2027 launch.
Europe’s new silicon beamforming chips could reshape satellite communications
ESA showcases Asygn’s integrated beamforming chips that steer radio beams electronically, promising smaller, cheaper phased‑array antennas for space and Earth.
Mars Express flies around Schiaparelli Crater: What the new 3‑D video really shows
A new ESA video lets us orbit the 460 km Schiaparelli Crater, revealing its shallow depth and the trade‑offs behind the visualisation.
Student‑Built Radar Retroreflector Tested on Drone: A Cheap Way to Track Small Spacecraft
A student team demonstrated a low‑cost 3D‑printed radar retroreflector on a drone at ESA’s ESTEC, paving the way for better tracking of tiny rockets and drones.
How Proba‑3’s Hidden Spacecraft Turns Earth Into a Test Bed for Formation Flying
ESA’s Proba‑3 shows its occulter spacecraft in a split‑view Earth photo, revealing how formation‑flying works and what it means for future missions.
NGC 4698: A Spiral Galaxy With a Perpendicular Bulge
NGC 4698 is a spiral galaxy with a bulge rotating perpendicular to its disc, revealing clues about past mergers in the Virgo Cluster.
Roman Space Telescope: How a 2.4 m Mirror Aims to Uncover Dark Energy and New Worlds
The Roman Space Telescope will scan the sky in visible to near‑infrared, targeting dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets with a 2.4 m mirror.
Listening to the Cosmos: ESA’s Expedition Sound Brings Space Data to Your Ears
ESA’s Expedition Sound podcast turns space mission data into audio, making astronomy accessible and revealing hidden science through sonification.