This Week in Space: Reusable Rockets, Interstellar Visitors, and the Future of Earth Observation / Updated: 2025, July 6th, 23:59 CET
Themis arrives at Esrange Space Center in Sweden, Europe’s first full-scale reusable rocket stage demonstrator by ArianeGroup for ESA’s reusability roadmap, after a 3,000-kilometer journey and hop-tests expected to begin in late 2025 under the EU SALTO project. 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), the third known interstellar object to visit our solar system, is traveling at about 60 km/s with cometary activity and will be visible until September 2025. MethaneSAT, a $100 million climate mission launched in March 2024 to map global methane emissions, has suffered a power failure and is likely not recoverable, a major setback for climate monitoring. The UK