Gaia’s first year of scientific observations

On 21 August 2015, ESA’s billion-star surveyor, Gaia, completed its first year of science observations in its main survey mode.

Gaia’s first Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

Gaia's antenna in the test chamber

Entombed by the distinctive foam pyramids typical of test chambers, the main antenna of the Gaia billion-star surveyor has been put through its paces ahead of launch next year.

The 1.5m wide Gaia Antenna Panel, which contains the satellite’s Phased Array Antenna, is seen here inside the Antenna Test Facility at EADS CASA test facility in Madrid. Credit: Astrium–A. Martin, 2012