Latest news with #JosefAschbacher
France 24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Vienna calling: Strauss's 'The Blue Danube' to waltz into outer space
But the world famous waltz will truly travel among the stars on Saturday, when the European Space Agency's (ESA) antenna will broadcast a live performance of it into space to celebrate the composer's 200th birthday. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra will play a concert in the Austrian capital from 1930 GMT, Josef Aschbacher, ESA's director general, told AFP. The concert will be broadcast live on the internet and also be shown at a public screening in Vienna, in New York at Bryant Park, and near the antenna in Spain. "The digitised sound will be transmitted to the large 35-metre satellite dish at ESA's Cebreros ground station in Spain," Aschbacher said. And from there, the waltz will be "transmitted in the form of electromagnetic waves", the Austrian astronomer explained. 'Typical of space' Like no other waltz by Strauss junior, "The Blue Danube" evokes the elegance of 19th-century imperial Vienna, which lives on in the city's roaring ball season. For Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna tourist board, the Danube waltz is a "true unofficial space anthem" because of Kubrick. The timeless waltz is the "typical sound of space", Kettner said, with the tunes being played "during various docking manoeuvres of the International Space Station (ISS)". When the waltz is performed on Saturday, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will make sure to underline the waltz's airiness as if it were floating through space, its director Jan Nast said. According to Nast, who put together the programme for Saturday's hour-long "interstellar concert", music is a language "which touches many people" and has "the universal power to convey hope and joy". Filling a gap Once transmitted via Spain's satellite dish, the signal will travel at the speed of light to eventually reach NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft -- the most distant man-made object in the universe -- in approximately 23 hours and 3 minutes. After surpassing Voyager 1, it will continue its interstellar journey. By catching up with the spacecraft and its twin, Voyager 2, Austria also seeks to right a perceived wrong. Both Voyagers carry "Golden Records" -- 12-inch, gold-plated copper disks intended to convey the story of our world to extraterrestrials. The record holds 115 images of life on Earth, recorded in analogue form, and a variety of sounds and snatches of music. While "The Magic Flute" by Austria's composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was included among the selection of 27 music pieces, Strauss's famous waltz was not.
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Moon, Mars And Beyond: India, Europe Enter New Era Of Space Cooperation
New Delhi: Even as Indian and European space agencies continue prepare astronauts since a year for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), the two are forging new frontiers in space cooperation. In a conversation with NDTV, Dr Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), outlined the deepening collaboration between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA) as both are cooperating in space exploration, human spaceflight and satellite launches. A historic joint statement signed this month between ESA and ISRO marks a new chapter in bilateral space cooperation. ESA's annual budget is estimated to be about $7.91 billion compared to ISRO's budget of $1.6 billion. A Legacy Of Collaboration ESA and ISRO's partnership dates back to 1978, with informal ties stretching even earlier to 1971. Over the decades, the two agencies have worked together on Earth observation, ground station support and lunar missions like Chandrayaan. Notably, Dr Aschbacher highlighted that ESA's ground stations were the first to receive data from Chandrayaan-3's historic soft landing near the Moon's South Pole in August 2023, even before Indian officials were informed. India used a global network of stations to receive the telemetry data. Human Spaceflight And The Axiom 4 Mission The collaboration is now entering a new phase with human spaceflight. ESA and ISRO are jointly participating in the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, scheduled for June. The mission will feature an Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla flying alongside ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, from Poland. Both will conduct a record number of scientific experiments during a two-week stay aboard the ISS. "This will be the most science-intensive Axiom mission to date," said Dr Aschbacher, expressing excitement about the joint experiment and the symbolic significance of the mission. Toward A Shared Future In Space Stations India's aims to build its own Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) aligns with ESA's long-term vision for low Earth orbit infrastructure. The newly signed statement of intent opens the door for ESA to contribute to BAS through cargo return services, shared equipment, and potentially even joint astronaut missions. "There is a huge possibility of great cooperation," said Dr Aschbacher. "We are at the beginning of this process, but I am very committed to making it work for the benefit of both." Launch Partnerships And Technological Trust ESA recently entrusted India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with the launch of its Proba-3 mission, a dual-satellite formation flying experiment designed to study the Sun's corona by simulating an artificial solar eclipse. The mission was launched with high precision, earning praise from Dr Aschbacher for ISRO's engineering excellence. "Thank you, India, for a high performance launch," he said, noting that the mission's first eclipse observations are expected in the coming weeks. Ariane 6 And The Competitive Launch Market Reflecting on the retirement of Europe's heavy lift launcher - the Ariane 5 rocket - and the delayed debut of Ariane 6, Aschbacher acknowledged the challenges ESA faced during its "launcher crisis." However, he expressed pride in Ariane 6's successful maiden flight and its potential to compete with SpaceX's Falcon 9. He emphasised that while SpaceX offers low prices internationally, domestic pricing tells a different story. ESA's strategy, he said, is to ensure Europe's guaranteed access to space while also capturing commercial opportunities-such as the deal with Amazon's Kuiper project. Micro-Launchers And Indian Startups ESA is also investing in micro-launchers through its European Launcher Challenge. While ESA has not yet partnered with Indian start-ups, Aschbacher expressed openness to collaboration, especially with Indian companies currently developing suborbital and small-payload launchers. "These start-ups could grow into medium and heavy launch providers," he said, hinting at future cooperation. The Long View: Moon, Mars And Beyond Looking ahead, both India and ESA have ambitious roadmaps - India aims to land an astronaut on the Moon by 2040, while ESA is exploring long-term lunar and Martian, human and robotic endeavours, opening up several opportunities for cooperation. Dr Aschbacher likened this era of space exploration to the age of maritime discovery, calling the Moon "our eighth continent." He emphasised the importance of international cooperation, shared values and mutual benefit in achieving these goals. A Message To Prime Minister Modi When asked for a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr Aschbacher said, "I am really grateful for the excellent cooperation we have between India and ESA. India is already a great space power, and your path to the future is very impressive. I look forward to exploring future opportunities together."
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Direct and clear objectives to collaborate with ISRO: ESA chief Josef Aschbacher
The European Space Agency (ESA) now has direct and clearer objectives to work with India and is open to collaborating on bigger and unexplored areas of space, said Dr Josef Aschbacher, the ESA director general. On Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and ESA inked a Joint Statement of Intent on Human Space Exploration on the sidelines of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX) – 2025. 'ESA and ISRO have been collaborating for over 40 years. But we will jointly explore newer areas of space exploration together like never before,' the ISRO chairman, Dr. V Narayanan, said. Speaking to The Indian Express, Aschbacher said, 'ESA is happy partnering with ISRO and we look forward to exploring large-scale space operations. It is a strong recognition both for ESA and ISRO to work together on a domain of space exploration. This is a complete new chapter in our relations.' While ISRO and ESA are yet to discuss the exact areas of collaboration, Wednesday's agreement will now pave the way for greater discussions between the two space agencies and the process for which will get underway in the coming months. Two months ago, the ESA delegation visited India and held preliminary discussions. Collaborations are being keenly considered on India-proposed building of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS). India plans to build the space station by 2035. In a five-module design, the BAS-1 is scheduled for a launch in 2028. 'Both India and ESA have ambitious space exploration programmes and we would identify areas that will complement and benefit each other. A lot can be done together,' the ESA chief Aschbacher said. 'Our respective teams will discuss and define concrete actions and areas to collaborate,' the ESA chief said. ESA is considering the utilisation of BAS once it is built and ready. It is also considering providing ISRO with cargo-delivery support in building the BAS. The components of the Indian space station are planned to be sent into space as different segments and docked once in space. Earlier this year, ISRO successfully performed the docking and undocking of two satellites in its SpaDeX mission — a demonstration and a skill which will be essential for future space activities like building the BAS. The ESA chief, Aschbacher, also said, 'ESA is building a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) cargo return service vehicle, and who knows, it may, in future, turn into an astronaut carrying vehicle. This would be of great interest for India, which is planning to send its first human into space.' The two agencies will work out the working modalities, cost estimates, make best use of expertise available on either side and the governmental-level sanctions both in India and among the 23 ESA member states.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
African Space Agency celebrates official inauguration, joining global push for space innovation
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Africa has taken a giant leap into the global space arena with the official inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA), signaling the continent's commitment to space exploration and technological advancement. The inauguration ceremony was held on April 20 at the agency's permanent headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. Dignitaries from across Africa and the global space community, including representatives from the African Union Commission, national governments, and international space agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, and the Italian Space Agency were in attendance, Egypt Today reported. Government officials say the inauguration will help bring vital space-based services to the African continent. "We aspire for internet services to extend to cover all parts of the African continent, and for the agency to contribute to digitizing governmental and service institutions, enhancing performance efficiency and bringing services closer to the citizen," said Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ayman Ashour, according to the Jerusalem Post. Established under the African Union's Agenda 2063, AfSA aims to coordinate and implement Africa's space ambitions, focusing on areas such as Earth observation, satellite development, and space science to support socio-economic development across the continent. Other space agency leaders hailed the inauguration and what it means for the continent. "The establishment of the African Space Agency is a real milestone for the continent and signals an important advance for Africa's space strategy," Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the ESA said in a statement commemorating the inauguration. "Space has the power to spur innovation and inspiration, and I look forward to working together for the benefit of citizens on both continents." The AfSA has been in development since 2015, with the African Union Commission adopting an African space policy and strategy in 2016. "ESA is proud to [be] partnering with this new regional space agency," Marco Ferrazzani, ESA Director of Internal Services, said in the statement. "Collaboration with Africa dates back three decades and today ESA even runs a dedicated EOAFRICA Initiative. With AfSA, this cooperation will be brought up to the next level." The inauguration coincided with the commencement of the 2025 NewSpace Africa Conference, bringing together over 500 delegates from more than 64 countries to discuss the future of space innovation and collaboration in Africa.
Broadcast Pro
23-04-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
ESA welcomes inauguration of African Space Agency
The African Space Agency (AfSA) has been officially inaugurated at its headquarters within Egyptian Space City, a 123-acre complex in Cairo. The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially extended its congratulations to the African Space Agency (AfSA) on its historic inauguration, hailing the milestone as a pivotal step in Africas growing role in global space exploration and innovation. AfSA, now the second regional space agency after ESA, represents the culmination of nearly a decade of development. The African Union Commission laid the foundation for its establishment with the adoption of a continental space policy and strategy in 2016. Based in Egypthome to Africas first satellite launch in 1998AfSA unites all 55 member states of the African Union under a single vision: to harness space science and technology to support socio-economic development across the continent. Over the past 25 years, 18 African nations have collectively launched 63 satellites, with national space programmes rapidly expanding to address local needs through data-driven solutions and research. The inauguration coincided with the opening of the NewSpace Africa Conference, a global gathering of space agencies and companies committed to leveraging innovation to empower Africas economic and scientific landscape. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher offered ESA's congratulations on the inauguration of the agency and said: 'The establishment of the African Space Agency is a real milestone for the continent and signals an important advance for Africas space strategy. Space has the power to spur innovation and inspiration, and I look forward to working together for the benefit of citizens on both continents.' Speaking at the inauguration in Cairo, ESA Director of Internal Services Marco Ferrazzani added: 'ESA is proud to partner with this new regional space agency. Collaboration with Africa dates back three decades, and today, ESA even runs a dedicated EOAFRICA Initiative. With AfSA, this cooperation will be brought up to the next level.' ESA formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AfSA that will underpin the implementation of the EU-Africa Space Partnership Programme by the EU, which is designed to strengthen ties between Europe and Africa and encourage the use of space technologies by both public and commercial operators. Since Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change, there is a particular goal to improve early warning systems for severe weather events or hardships related to climate. In an additional project co-financed by the European Union, ESA already works with the African space sector on the implementation of a satellite-based augmentation system for air traffic control systems, that enhances the security of air traffic. Furthermore, ESA is ready to collaborate on further bilateral activities with AfSA.
