ESA Education

02/06/2026

☄️ A collision with a 10-cm piece of space debris could cause the catastrophic fragmentation of a satellite. Did you know that?

🎓 To raise awareness of the growing challenges posed by space debris, we are launching the 9th edition of the Space Debris Training Course, organised with ESA’s Space Debris Office.

📍 ESA ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium
📅 21–25 September 2026

Selected university students will gain:
🛰️ A deep understanding of the space debris environment and risks to spacecraft
👩‍🔬 Hands-on experience solving real-world space debris challenges
🤝 Case studies, simulations, and collaborative group projects

Topics include collision avoidance, satellite constellations, deorbiting, and passivation technologies.

🚀 A unique opportunity to explore one of the biggest challenges facing space sector today. Apply now and contribute to space sustainability:

🔗 https://www.esa.int/Education/ESA_Academy/Apply_for_the_Space_Debris_Training_Course

01/06/2026

🚀 Want to present your space project?

✨ ESA and CNES have launched the Student Poster Challenge as part of the Space Cost Engineering Conference 2026, taking place on 1–2 October 2026 at ESA ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

This is a unique opportunity for students passionate about space engineering, space economy, systems design, CubeSats, mega-constellation deployment, and cost reduction strategies to showcase their ideas to leading experts in the space sector. 🛰️

🎓 Authors of the best poster submission will be invited to present their work in person at the conference. Two scholarships are available to support travel and accommodation costs, in addition to free conference admission.

🔗 https://atpi.eventsair.com/esa-cnes-space-cost-engineering-conference-2026/student-poster-challenge

01/06/2026

🚀 Want to work in the space industry someday?

🎓 Applications are now open for the Access to Space Training Course, taking place from 19–23 October 2026 at ESA ESEC in Belgium and organised in collaboration with the ESA Space Transportation Directorate.

From Ariane 6 and future launch systems to sustainability, innovation, and commercial space opportunities, this is your chance to learn directly from ESA experts and discover how Europe is building its future in space. ✨

What makes it exciting?
🛰️ Hands-on team projects
📡 Direct exposure to real space transportation challenges
🌍 Networking with students passionate about space & engineering
🚀 A behind-the-scenes look at rocket launches and future space missions

🔗 https://www.esa.int/Education/ESA_Academy/Apply_for_the_Access_to_Space_Training_Course

01/06/2026

🌍 Could there be another Earth somewhere among the stars? ✨

Astronomers have already discovered thousands of exoplanets, revealing that planets are common throughout our Galaxy. 🪐

🛰️ ESA’s Plato mission will help scientists search for planets that may be Earth-like by studying nearby planetary systems in extraordinary detail.

🚀 Explore the mission and inspire young space explorers to join Plato’s Find-a-New-Earth Art Challenge, their artwork could even travel to space! 🎨🌌

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🌍✨ Could there be another Earth out there? 👀🪐

🔭 Hey explorers, Paxi here! Scientists have already discovered thousands of planets beyond our Solar System… but could one of them be just right for life? 👽🦥🐙

ESA’s Plato mission is searching for rocky worlds in the so called “Goldilocks zone”, where is is not too hot, not too cold and oceans, skies, and maybe even life could exist! 🚀✨

👇 Discover how Plato is helping us search for another Earth:
https://www.esa.int/kids/en/learn/Our_Universe/Planets_and_moons/Can_there_be_another_Earth

🎨🖌️ Feeling inspired? Then join Plato’s Find-a-New-Earth Art Challenge and imagine what a brand-new world could look like.

Your artwork could even travel to space! 🚀

Find out how 👇
https://www.esa.int/kids/en/things_to_do/Space_Gallery_Competition/Current/Join_Plato_s_Find-a-New-Earth_Art_Challenge

What do you think is waiting among the stars? 🤩

29/05/2026

🎉 And just like that, three days of collaboration, learning and discovery come to an end at the Climate Detectives Summit 2026! 🌍🚀

Over the past days, 120 students and their teachers from across 21 ESA Member States have come together at ESA ESRIN to share ideas, explore science in action and connect their local investigations to a global perspective. 🧑‍🔬🌐

Through interesting exchanges and conversations with Earth observation experts, labs and mission design challenges, students experienced first-hand how Earth observation helps us understand and respond to our changing planet. 📡🌿

🙌 A heartfelt thank you to the students, teachers, ESEROs and ESA experts and organisers who made this event unforgettable.

While the Summit comes to a close, the journey continues back home, in classrooms, communities and future projects shaped by new knowledge, skills and inspiration. 💡🤩

29/05/2026

🤖 A look ahead to AI and the future of Earth observation at the Climate Detectives Summit 🌍🚀

On the final morning at ESA ESRIN, students explored how artificial intelligence is shaping Earth observation. 🛰️🧠

In a hands-on activity, they trained a simple AI model to recognise patterns in images and then applied it to real satellite data, revealing different landscapes and natural phenomena in a new way. 📡🌊🌿

After the hands-on learning followed inspirational lectures by ESA Earth observation experts, showcasing how AI supports faster data processing, smarter monitoring and new scientific discoveries, using space data to make real-world environmental and societal decisions. 💡🌍

✨ This morning provided a final deep dive into the technologies shaping tomorrow, before coming together to celebrate the journey at the Climate Detectives Summit together. 🤗

28/05/2026

👀 How can we solve real-world challenges with Earth observation? Our Climate Detectives learned how! 🔎 🌍

On Day 2, students met ESA experts working in the Earth observation field and explored how satellites, data and technology come together to monitor our planet. 🛰️📊

Through Q&A sessions with experts and the interactive “Guess the Earth Observation Pro” activity, they discovered how topics like air pollution, oceans, agriculture and deforestation are studied from space, while gaining insight into the wide range of careers behind it all. 🌊🌳🌾

This afternoon, students stepped fully into the role of Earth observation experts themselves. They explored the field through different hands-on activities that brought science, technology and teamwork together.

🛰️ At the Φ-Experience, students discovered how satellite data helps track changes across our planet, from oceans and forests to the air we breathe.

🚀 In the mission design challenge, they took on roles from scientists to policymakers, debating what a new satellite should observe and how it could make a real impact.

🔬 In the Sentinels for Space practical session, students explored how missions like the Sentinels turn data into insight to better understand environmental change.

💡 That was a full afternoon of exploring, debating and problem-solving just like real Earth observation professionals. 🤝

Now it’s time to unwind, share stories from the day and enjoy a well-deserved evening together… with some Italian pasta on the table 🍝

28/05/2026

🌞 Welcome to Day 2 of the Climate Detectives Summit! 🔎🌱

After a vibrant first half day at ESA’s ESRIN, the excitement continues as students head into a new day of exploration and learning. 🌍✨

Yesterday’s opening set the stage for collaboration and curiosity, quickly followed by a dynamic poster session where ideas, questions and conversations took over the room. 🤝📊

Students shared their fascinating investigations such as:
🌊 microplastics in rivers and drinking water systems
🧊 how pollution affects snowmelt and winter environments
🌿 algae blooms threatening marine ecosystems like the Oslofjord
🌳 early detection of forest damage and biodiversity loss

Across projects, teams combined field sampling, lab analysis and satellite data, showing how local observations can connect to global environmental challenges. 🛰️🔬🌏

The event was alive with students exchanging insights, comparing methods and discovering just how interconnected their work really is. 🗺️✨

Now, Day 2 continues with a full programme of expert sessions and hands-on learning opportunities—let’s get started! 💡

27/05/2026

🌍 The Climate Detectives Summit 2026 has officially begun! 👩‍🔬🔎

120 students and teachers from 21 countries have just arrived at ESRIN, ESA’s Earth Observation centre in Frascati, Italy. They are ready to dive into space data, science topics and how technology is making a positive impact. 🛰️

Over the next two days, they’ll step into the role of Earth observation scientists, exploring how satellite help us humans to understand and protect Earth. 🪻🌳🌍

🔍 The participating teams are not new to the field of Earth observation – over the past months they have investigated local environmental questions and participated in ESA’s Climate Detectives project and were selected nationally by the ESEROs to represent their countries.

🧪🔬 Their projects investigated a wide range of environmental challenges across Europe, from urban soil sealing and climate impacts in Vienna and coastal erosion in Portugal, to tracking rivers, forests and coastlines using satellite data combined with fieldwork. 🌡️🌊🌿

Other teams explored innovative approaches like developing early warning systems for harmful algal blooms using satellite and sensor data, testing drone-based monitoring of tree health in cities, and even investigating how natural materials like bird feathers could help absorb oil pollution from seawater. 🛰️🐦

What’s coming up?

🔬 Hands-on labs and interactive science sessions
💬 Exchanges with ESA Earth observation experts
🤖 Discovering how AI is transforming satellite data
🌐 Exploring the Φ-Experience exhibition
🖼️ Sharing ideas with other teams in a dynamic poster session
☀️ Sunshine and delicious food🍦

✨ Stay tuned as these young Climate Detectives get to work!



Find out more about the Climate Detectives project 👉 https://climatedetectives.esa.int/

27/05/2026

Setting up for Astro Pi! 💻🛰️

👩‍🚀 ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot prepares the hardware for ESA Education’s Astro Pi Mission Space Lab right by the World Observation Research Facility window 🌍👇