ESA Achieves Multiple Milestones in September 2026

In September, the European Space Agency marked a busy month of launches and discoveries. The FLEX satellite launched aboard Vega‑C alongside Sentinel‑3C, expanding Earth observation capabilities. Mission commander Sophie Adenot completed her third and final spacewalk, leading the EVA team as EV‑1. BepiColombo separated from its Mercury Transfer Module, advancing its journey to Mercury. The Spectrum rocket became the first launch vehicle from continental Europe to reach orbit, demonstrating a new European launch capability. Meanwhile, the James Webb Space Telescope identified tiny brown dwarfs that may host the building blocks of planets, adding to our understanding of planetary formation. These events underscore Europe’s growing autonomy and scientific reach in space.