The biggest archive of celestial objects ever created is being made accessible to researchers and space enthusiasts for probing the depths of the Milky Way, assisted by advanced data mining and analysis tools developed by an EU-funded project.
An EU-funded research network has studied the threat of space junk and asteroids, helping to minimise their risks and better protect our planet, satellites and spaceships from potentially catastrophic hits.
Astrophysics is where the stars meet their makers, literally and perhaps metaphorically too, as young researchers in an EU-funded project have boosted their careers delving into the origins, behaviour and evolution of black holes. The project has led to new tools and discoveries about how matter is treated in space and time - keeping Europe at the forefront of space research.
The detection of gravitational waves in 2015 provided groundbreaking information about the Universe. Building on this discovery, EU-funded scientists have now detected waves at three observatories, a first in astrophysics, making it possible to locate the signals’ origin and better apply the data they provide.
EU-funded researchers are peering into the depths of the cosmos, studying distant stars to gain a better understanding of how our universe works, what the future of Earth and our solar system might be, and even whether there could be life elsewhere out there.
Remember when there were no satellites? Before your time, maybe, as the first was launched in 1957. Today, we would be lost without them - quite literally so, but satnavs are only one of many services these orbital outriders underpin. EU-funded research is helping to secure Europe's access to the carbon fibre materials needed to build them.
Like a string of pearls, 36 mini satellites are currently in orbit collecting data about the largely unexplored layer of the Earth’s atmosphere - a remarkable achievement of science, technology, and international cooperation.
What would it be like to live on Mars? Much like Earth, maybe, in due course - but the pioneers who will one day head out there will face a deeply hostile environment upon arrival. EU-funded researchers have developed a habitat for simulated space missions in suitably challenging locations down here on Earth. It can also support research in extreme conditions.
