ESA partners with Thales Alenia Space to develop Argonaut lunar lander
The lander will fly to the Moon and land on its surface assuring the European autonomous access to the Moon.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space in Italy to lead a European consortium in developing the Argonaut Lunar Descent Element, marking ESAs first lunar lander project.
Argonaut is set to provide Europe with independent and flexible access to the Moon, supporting global lunar exploration initiatives. Beginning in the early 2030s, the spacecraft will undertake regular missions to the Moon, transporting infrastructure, scientific equipment, rovers and technological demonstrators. It will also deliver essential supplies for astronauts, including food, water and oxygen. Designed for longevity, Argonaut will endure extreme lunar conditions for up to five years, ensuring a key role in sustainable lunar exploration.
As a fundamental part of ESAs lunar strategy, Argonaut will integrate seamlessly with ESAs Lunar Link on the Gateway and Moonlight communication and navigation systems. It serves as one of Europes contributions to international lunar initiatives, including NASAs Artemis programme and commercial lunar lander services, advancing efforts to establish a lasting human presence on the Moon.
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Gulf Today
9 hours ago
- Gulf Today
How VCs are navigating Europe's defence spending push
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His firm invested $15.5 million in German autonomous drone company STARK in October 2024, according to PitchBook. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and US President Donald Trump's prodding of NATO countries to raise defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product from a current 2% have spurred the EU to ramp up its military spending plans. It has also drawn venture capital funding into European defence tech, which hit $1 billion in 2024, up from a modest $373 million in 2022. That is up fivefold since 2020, yet Europe's defence tech sector has produced just three unicorns — startups with a valuation of $1 billion — and last year attracted just 1.7% of the venture capital money in Europe, according to startup data provider Dealroom. Among the biggest barriers to entry for venture capital targeting defence tech in Europe are strict EU ESG rules, which forbid investment in lethal, single-use technology, according to more than a dozen investors, companies and government officials interviewed by Reuters. Many funds receive individual state government or EU backing, which in most cases precludes them from investing in defence. Despite the EU's support for Ukraine, only Estonia and Finland have established government-backed funds allowing for investments into lethal, single-use technology. Borys Musielak, managing partner at Smok Ventures, a U.S. VC firm based in Warsaw, said rules there had prompted funds like his to invest in cybersecurity. "In Poland nearly every fund has some part of it government or European funding, which makes it difficult to invest in defence," he said. Jan-Hendrik Boelens, CEO of Munich-based Alpine Eagle, which develops counter-drone systems, the topic of ESG represents a hurdle that remains for investors and startups. "There are changes on the way, but I can't say that they've happened yet, at least not to the extent that they should," he said, referring to governments or investors changing policies to facilitate more defence investment. "If you are not a pure weapon of war, as it is called, then I think that is very fundable. If you cross this line into actually becoming a lethal weapon, that might still be very difficult to fund." Some VCs seek to avoid ESG restrictions by targeting so-called "dual-use" technologies that have civilian as well as military applications. Such technologies include computer vision where AI mimics human vision to interpret visual information, robots, cybersecurity software and autonomous drones. All three of Europe's defence tech unicorns — German battlefield software firm Helsing, German drone maker Quantum Systems and Portuguese drone company Tekever — market themselves as dual-use. Sten Tamkivi is a partner in Tallinn- and London-based investment platform Plural, which has invested in Helsing. "We and our limited partner base are aligned with the idea that defending the future of our democracies is a moral good, but some investor bases at other firms say lethal is not okay," Tamkivi told Reuters. London-based VC firm Balderton in 2025 led a 160 million euro funding round by Munich-based Quantum Systems. "Why this one? I think it's serendipity, right team, right company, right timing," said Rana Yared, a general partner at Balderton. "We passed on almost everything that we had looked at up until that point," she said. Founded in 2015, Quantum Systems' AI-operated reconnaissance drones provide real-time battlefield intelligence and are being used in Ukraine. "We have shown we can deliver due to three years at the battlefront, with more than 800 systems in Ukraine," Quantum Systems co-CEO Sven Kruck told Reuters. "The defence market is getting hotter," he said. "Every investor is now creating a defence fund." Last month the company raised 160 million euros to take its total funding to 310 million euros. It also reached unicorn status, as did Tekever. With its increased defence spending plans, the European Commission is also looking to rewrite the rules to allow more investors to participate and individual governments are doing the same. The Commission has said next week it will propose giving governments more flexibility on defence procurement, which is another challenge startups face. They also need to contend with figuring out how to connect to and sell to the big players and governments who represent the majority of the customer base, investors say. In Finland, the country's pension agency, the Finnish Industry Investment Ltd, has removed a clause that had prevented it from investing in defence. Reuters
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
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Vcharge's EV Infrastructure Vcharge, one of the KFED-backed firms at VivaTech, has been supporting the UAE's Net Zero 2050 vision by developing and deploying EV charging solutions, making it easier for motorists to make the switch to green company has so far installed more than 8,000 chargers across the country — from private residences to commercial establishments, said Abdulaziz Saoud Alshamsi, Founder and CEO of Vcharge.'We focus on local manufacturing and the development of smart, cloud-based solutions that cater to the specific needs of the UAE market,' Alshamsi told has designed charging stations that are resilient to high temperatures, as well as software and apps that enhance the customer experience, he added.'By building our own software platforms and mobile apps, we also ensure digital sovereignty — keeping control of critical infrastructure within the UAE', Alshamsi Vcharge founder admitted that scaling EV solutions is both costly and complex but with the support from KFED, the company grew and landed key thousands of successful installations in its track record, the company is now eyeing to move beyond the country's borders. 'To enter markets like France and the EU, Vcharge plans to adjust its technology to comply with regional regulations, such as the Open Charge Point Protocol, ensuring interoperability with existing infrastructure,' Alshamsi said, adding that partnerships with local entities are also in the works to better meet the needs of the EU market.'Vcharge aims to establish strategic partnerships with European technology firms and research institutions to enhance our R&D capabilities,' the founder said. HyveGeo's Carbon Sinks Another UAE startup at VivaTech presented a biochar technology that transforms desert land into productive carbon sinks.A carbon sink refers to a reservoir that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — and HyveGeo's innovation does the job well.'Our biochar not only locks away carbon for over 1,000 years, but also restores degraded soils — improving food security and water retention in arid zones,' HyveGeo Founder and Director Abdulaziz bin Reda told creates microbe-enriched biochar tailored to arid regions, helping restore soil health and combat climate change while supporting global environmental goals through carbon implementing localised pilot programmes, the company has drastically reduced soil recovery time from five to seven years to only 30 days, while also boosting plant growth by 200%, as confirmed by third-party laboratories and advanced digital monitoring managed to overcome initial doubts and infrastructure challenges by conducting local trials, using modular technology, and receiving support from both UAE and international incubators, bin Reda company is now looking to deploy its systems in Europe. 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Tourism Breaking News
2 days ago
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Post Views: 39 Proofpoint, Inc., a leading cybersecurity and compliance company released new research revealing that 85% of the top online travel sites* in the UAE have adopted Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), a key email security protocol that helps protect users from email fraud. However, only 45% of these sites have implemented it at the highest enforcement level of 'reject,' which actively blocks unauthorised emails from reaching inboxes. The findings are based on a DMARC adoption analysis of the top 20 online travel sites in the UAE, and across Europe and the Middle East. DMARC is an email validation protocol designed to protect domain names from being misused by cybercriminals. It authenticates the sender's identity before allowing a message to reach its intended destination. DMARC has three levels of protection – monitor, quarantine and reject, with reject being the most secure for preventing suspicious emails from reaching the inbox. With travel demand in the UAE continuing to rise, a recent KPMG study found that 77% of UAE travellers use mobile apps or hotel booking services, increasing the volume of digital interactions between consumers and travel brands. But as consumers eagerly plan and book their getaways, this surge in activity – coupled with a high volume of emails and promotional offers from travel companies – creates a perfect storm for cybercriminals, turning dream holidays into costly scams through sophisticated email fraud. Key findings include: • The UAE demonstrates stronger foundational email security adoption compared to its European counterparts, with 85% of the top travel sites publishing a DMARC record, reflecting growing awareness of cybersecurity best practices across the country's travel sector. • However, there is room for improvement with only 45% of the UAE's top travel sites using the policy at 'reject' level, meaning 55% are leaving their customers, staff, and partners more vulnerable to receiving fraudulent emails impersonating these brands. • On average, 88% of the top travel websites across Europe and the Middle East have published a basic DMARC record. However, only 46% of all travel sites analysed are at reject, meaning 54% of the top travel sites across the regions are leaving customers at risk of email fraud. 'Holiday bookings often represent a significant number of high-value financial transactions and bring experiences of high personal and emotional value; this combination makes travellers prime targets for cybercriminals. Attackers actively use sophisticated email fraud, especially during peak holiday season, to exploit vulnerabilities,' says Matt Cooke, cybersecurity strategist, Proofpoint. 'Fake booking confirmations, too-good-to-be-true deals, and urgent payment requests for supposed flight changes are common tactics. These fraudulent communications can appear highly convincing, putting travellers' finances and personal data at risk.' 'Travel companies bear a social responsibility to do everything they can to stop convincing scam emails being sent in their name, to holidaymakers,' continues Cooke. 'Implementing DMARC technology to its fullest level of 'reject' allows travel companies to massively reduce the risk of that happening, protecting both their brand and all of the holidaymakers at the same time., it's a win-win.' Proofpoint advises consumers to follow these tips to stay safe when booking and managing travel online: 1. Secure your bookings – and your accounts. Use strong, unique passwords for travel accounts and booking sites. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible to add an extra layer of security. 2. Watch out for fake travel deals – and websites. Be wary of unsolicited offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers create convincing fake websites for airlines, hotels, or comparison sites to steal money and credentials. Always book through official sites or reputable, verified agents. 3. Navigate away from phishing trips – and smishing scams. Stay alert to phishing emails or smishing (SMS phishing) messages regarding flight changes, booking confirmations, or visa applications that demand urgent action or personal details. These often lead to fake login pages designed to capture your information. 4. Don't get detoured by suspicious links. Avoid clicking directly on links in unsolicited emails, social media messages, or pop-up ads, especially for special offers or urgent alerts. Instead, type the official website address directly into your browser. 5. Check reviews before You book. Fraudulent travel offers, websites, and apps can look deceptively genuine. Before providing payment details or downloading a new travel app, invest time in researching the company, reading independent online reviews, and checking for customer complaints.
