What happened this month at the European Space Agency? (September 2026)
Europe’s space sector reached multiple milestones in September 2026, including launches, spacewalks, and orbital firsts that advance Earth observation and planetary science.
The European Space Agency’s FLEX satellite lifted off on 12 September 2026 aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, sharing the ride with the Sentinel-3C Earth observation mission. FLEX will map vegetation fluorescence to assess plant health and support global climate monitoring efforts. The dual payload deployment marks the first Vega-C flight dedicated to Earth science in 2026.
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot completed her third and final spacewalk on 24 September 2026, serving as lead spacewalker (EV-1) during the extravehicular activity outside the International Space Station. The six-hour excursion focused on installing a new external camera and routing power cables for future solar array upgrades. Adenot’s mission concluded a series of three spacewalks conducted during Expedition 75.
BepiColombo successfully jettisoned its Mercury Transfer Module on 28 September 2026, entering the final phase of its journey toward Mercury. The separation occurred 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, marking a critical step before the spacecraft enters orbit around Mercury in December 2026. The mission aims to study the planet’s surface, interior, and magnetic field.
Spectrum, developed by Isar Aerospace, became the first rocket to reach orbit from continental Europe on 29 September 2026, launching from the Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. The two-stage vehicle carried a technology demonstration payload into a 500-kilometer polar orbit. The achievement positions Europe as the third region globally to achieve independent orbital access from its own territory.