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Exploring new
space horizons.
The Swiss way.

We boost space activities to establish ETH Zurich
as the leading university in space research,
education and entrepreneurship within Europe and beyond.

Apply for the Master in Space Systems
Find out about collaboration opportunities

200+

Professors & other researchers are interested in space

Professors ETH Zurich

20+

ESA projects were closed

ESA BIC Switzerland

250+

Students are active members of ARIS - from ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, HSLU, ZHAW and OST

ARIS

15/16

ETH Departments are involved with topics like geodesy, robotics, earth science, exoplanets, etc

ETH departments

2-3x

Higher citation ratio per space publication can be observed for ETH vs NASA JPL and DLR.

ETH Zurich | Space

20

20+ ESA projects were closed in the last 3 years – rapidly increasing from ca. 80 in the last 20 years.

ESA

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Explore our space research
groups and projects

Life Mission

Large Interferometer for Exoplanets on a mission to investigate exoplanets and search for life.

About the project

Life Mission

ETH Zurich is involved in several ongoing projects that explore a range of topics in space research. The LIFE Mission (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets) is an ambitious initiative aiming to investigate the atmospheres of distant exoplanets to search for signs of life. This project is currently in the conceptual phase, with ETH Zurich leading efforts to develop a space telescope interferometer.

LIFE Mission Website

eSA LISA & LISA Pathfinder

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

About the project

eSA LISA & LISA Pathfinder

In gravitational wave detection, ETH Zurich plays a role in the ESA LISA & LISA Pathfinder missions. These missions focus on developing space-based observatories for detecting gravitational waves. ETH Zurich has contributed to key components such as control electronics and noise mitigation technologies, which are critical for ensuring the success of future gravitational wave observations.

ESA LISA Pathfinder

James Webb Space Telescope

The largest optical telescope in space.

About the project

James Webb Space Telescope

ETH Zurich is also part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) project, having contributed to the development of the MIRI instrument. This tool is used to study the formation of early stars and galaxies, as well as the atmospheres of potentially habitable exoplanets.

ESA JWST MIRI

ROBOTS FOR SPACE EXPLORING

Spacebok, GLIMPSE, SpaceHopper & ARISE: various robots to research locomotion for space exploration.

About the project

ROBOTS FOR SPACE EXPLORING

As one of global leader in robotics, ETH Zurich has developed systems for space exploration. Projects like SpaceBok and SpaceHopper focused on autonomous robots for low-gravity environments like the Moon or Mars. Building on these, the LunarLeaper culminates ETH Zurich’s research in low-gravity locomotion, exploring hopping motions for more efficient mobility than wheeled or walking robots. The goal is a system capable of traversing challenging lunar terrain with minimal energy, boosting mobility for future lunar exploration missions.

LunarLeaper
See all space research groups & projects

Specialised Master in Space Systems

The new space industry is experiencing a period of massive growth and diversification, both in terms of technological advancements and market dynamics. The specialised master in space systems offers students the opportunity to enter this dynamic environment.

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Latest ETH Zurich News

News
 Prestigious Award for ETH Zurich | Space director Thomas Zurbuchen

 Prestigious Award for ETH Zurich | Space director Thomas Zurbuchen

30.06.2025 by Mariasole Agazzi

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News
ETH Zurich and ESA: 50 years of collaboration

ETH Zurich and ESA: 50 years of collaboration

16.06.2025 by Mariasole Agazzi

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News
ESA opens first Innovation Centre in Switzerland — with ETH at the forefront

ESA opens first Innovation Centre in Switzerland — with ETH at the forefront

16.06.2025 by Mariasole Agazzi

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News
Celebrating milestones — and shaping what is next for space in Switzerland and Europe

Celebrating milestones — and shaping what is next for space in Switzerland and Europe

16.06.2025 by Mariasole Agazzi

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News
Gravitational-wave astronomy at ETH Zürich

Gravitational-wave astronomy at ETH Zürich

12.05.2025 by Gaia Donati

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News
Shaping the future of space — from the heart of Europe

Shaping the future of space — from the heart of Europe

10.04.2025 by Nicole Kretschmer, editor-in-chief of the DGLR members' magazine

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News
From ETH Zürich to the edge of space — and beyond!

From ETH Zürich to the edge of space — and beyond!

07.04.2025 by Innovation Park Zurich

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Astronomy & Research
Planets contain more water than thought

Planets contain more water than thought

04.02.2025 by Barbara Vonarburg, freelance author

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News
Green Light for LISA

Green Light for LISA

25.01.2025 by Editorial Team

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Earth and Planetary Sciences
The view from space – and what it tells us

The view from space – and what it tells us

06.01.2025 by Barbara Vonarburg, freelance author

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Space Research
Why we need space exploration

Why we need space exploration

17.12.2024 by Christoph Elhardt and Karin Köchle, Corporate Communications

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Space Research
The quest to explore space

The quest to explore space

17.12.2024 by Michael Keller, Corporate Communications

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Innovation & Industry
Inspired by space: Getting smart ideas off the ground

Inspired by space: Getting smart ideas off the ground

17.12.2024 by Corinne Johannssen, Corporate Communications

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Space Research
Launch of space systems degree programme

Launch of space systems degree programme

17.12.2024 by Peter Rüegg, Corporate Communications

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Events
ETH Global Lecture Series: Who Owns the Moon?

ETH Global Lecture Series: Who Owns the Moon?

07.10.2024 by Community & Outreach

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Society & Institution
From Earth to distant worlds: ETH department is now called Earth and Planetary Sciences

From Earth to distant worlds: ETH department is now called Earth and Planetary Sciences

05.08.2024 by Peter Rüegg. Corporate Communications

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Research
Learning About Extraterrestrial Life Detection at NASA JPL

Learning About Extraterrestrial Life Detection at NASA JPL

11.07.2024 by

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News
New class of Mars quakes reveals daily meteorite strikes

New class of Mars quakes reveals daily meteorite strikes

28.06.2024 by Marianne Lucien

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News
Final design of ELT’s METIS instrument completed

Final design of ELT’s METIS instrument completed

16.05.2024 by Anna Carmen Radi

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Research
Life on Earth and Beyond

Life on Earth and Beyond

30.04.2024 by

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News
Earth as a test object

Earth as a test object

26.02.2024 by Corinne Landolt and Gaia Donati

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News
New Master’s in Space Systems to be launched in September

New Master’s in Space Systems to be launched in September

07.02.2024 by Michael Walther

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News
A key experiment for the LIFE space mission

A key experiment for the LIFE space mission

14.04.2023 by Felix Würsten

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See all the news