🚀 #Rocket #Launch #Thread ⏬ Welcome at #SpaceportBavaria: We are here today to report about the 3rd (and hopefully final) test launch of the incredible #ArianeHeavy launcher equipped with 20 (!) #Prometheus rocket motors ! #minilaunchers 🚀 #MoonDot 🌒 #STEAM #STEMEd #ESA

... the huge reusable #ArianeHeavy launcher was designed by students during #ESASpaceCamp 2022. There is a very special payload on top for this 3rd test launch: a prototype of the European eXperimetal Crew Vehicle XCV ! #minilaunchers 🚀 #MoonDot 📷#STEAM #STEMEd #ESA

... we hope to see that uncrewed XCV #spaceship back on Earth later today - assuming a successful launch with the #ArianeHeavy launcher! We are only minutes away from that launch - everything is GO ! Stay tuned for updates ! #minilaunchers 🚀 #MoonDot 📷 #STEMEd #ESA

... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - IGNITION ... and LIFTOFF of the #ArianeHeavy powered by 20 #Promotheus motors lifting the prototype eXperimental Crew Vehicle towards the stars ✨ ! Woohoo ! #minilaunchers 🚀 #MoonDot 🌒 #STEMEd #STEAM #ESA

... first stage flight is NOMINAL ! All 20 motors are running ! Woohoo ! #ArianeHeavy #STEAM #MoonDot

... as we have first really stunning replays of the #ArianeHeavy test launch we have great news: 1st stage and 2nd stage (a modified #Ariane6 upper stage) performances were nominal, and XCV was released into a stable orbit ! #MoonDot #minilaunchers 🚀 #STEAM #STEMEd #ESA

... during the #ArianeHeavy liftoff phase we did a first experiment with a super slow motion camera ! 🙀😱 That experiment did not #fail ! And more news: the XCV is about to re-enter soon ! Stay tuned for updates ! #MoonDot #minilaunchers 🚀 #STEAM #STEMEd #ESA #slomo

... and the prototype of the European eXperimental Crew Vehicle XCV is returning after 108 minutes and one orbit back to Spaceport Bavaria (ex spaceport BER) with one engine 🔥 burning ! Woohoo ! #MoonDot 🌗 #minilaunchers 🚀 #ArianeHeavy #STEAM #STEMEd #ESA

... we will inspect the landed XCV prototype now ! The very first impression is that all is fine. Still hard to imagine that we will land with this XCV in the future. It has a backup chute, but well ... We are saying goodbye for now. Many thanks for watching ! #MoonDot #STEAM

MoonDot Station I have proposed an addition like the propsed #Starlab station to the #MoonDot team, a bit smaller, of course - as we are limited due to a 8.4 mausometer fairing of #ArianeHeavy ! Maybe a bigger fairing could be designed, no? 🤔 #STEAM #STEMEd #Starhab

Oh, my wildest dreams will really come true???

The lunar #Gateway will soon be the first international space station around the Moon 🌕 Together with European industry, European Space Agency plays a vital role in this journey, delivering: 🏠Lunar I-Hab: living space for astronauts 🔭Lunar View: refuelling, storage and stunning views 📡Lunar

Human Spaceflight Holger Voss European Space Agency Cool! We have an international station in Lunar orbit called MoonDot Station in our #MoonDot universe! The station led by @ESA has contributions from NASA, JAXA(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), CSA, Deutsche Raumfahrtagentur, Russia & commercial partners! And we had a crewed landing! #STEMEd #ForwardToTheMoon 🌔

Happy New Year 2025! We have exciting news to share: We've started to assemble our #Starhab, a mini version of the #Starlab #spacestation by Airbus Space & Co! And our mini version will be huge with a 8 @mausonaut-ic meters in diameter! #MoonDot 🌔 #STEAM #STEMEd #MoonDotStation

Earth from space seen through a fisheye lens

A. Pettit Holger Voss What a great view! Wow! It reminds me of the fantastic views I had during my 2 stays at the international Lunar #Gateway MoonDot Station ! When I will return to the station I hope to record a video like this one! #MoonDot #STEMEd #STEMeducation #STEAM #ESA #NASA

At ESA, we are committed to sparking curiosity among young minds. What better way to inspire future explorers than with a fully equipped lunar rover? We have joined forces with PLAYMOBIL to ignite young imaginations with a ‘Starter Pack Space Mission’! Find out more ➡️

European Space Agency Holger Voss PLAYMOBIL We are ready to roll on our next #MoonDot mission to the #Moon! Many thanks for the great PLAYMOBIL rovers and #EVA suits!

#OMG! Today is my 10th birthday! My first module was launched by a mini #Ariane5 #OTD #10yrsago as initial step for the #MoonDot program ! And I am still flying - orbiting the #Moon now! #LunarGateway #Gateway #ESA #Moon #ForwardToTheMoon #MoonDot #STEAM #STEMEd

Today we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the first launch of the brave explorer Mausonaut to the mini Lunar #Gateway called MoonDot Station - all in the inspirational #MoonDot Universe ! Woohoo ! #MoonDot #STEAM #STEMEd #ESA #minilaunchers #Ariane6