What happened this month at the European Space Agency? (October 2026)
Image: ESA
Machine-written summary, checked against the sources below
ESA's October 2026 roundup covers the Rosalind Franklin rover team training in Spain's desert ahead of Mars, Smile's capture of a full ring of northern lights around Earth, and Mars Express findings on a giant Martian cloud. It also notes astronaut Sophie Adenot's return after 237 days in space, Hera's first images of the asteroids it will study, and ESA's Open Days plus a collaboration with Pokémon.
October was a month of discoveries and milestones. ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover team trained in Spain’s desert, preparing for Mars. Our Smile mission captured the full ring of northern lights around Earth, while Mars Express uncovered new clues about a giant Martian cloud. ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot returned to Earth after 237 days in space, and Hera captured its first images of the asteroids it will study to help protect our planet. Meanwhile, ESA welcomed thousands of visitors for Open Days and teamed up with Pokémon to bring space science to new audiences.
Summary by ESA, the primary source