Center for Space and Habitability (CSH)

News, Press Releases & Major Announcements

Find all the latest news from CSH and the greater space research community in Bern.

News & Announcements

The latest news from CSH about our center, our researchers, and our achievements.

Learn more about our researchers through CSH and UniAktuell portraits and interviews.

The latest press releases, research news and publications from CSH members.

Read more about events the CSH organized or participated in and get a glimpse of the highlights with our image galleries.

Latest News

Event Highlights

CSH & WP’s Space Community visits Empa for Annual Excursion

In an annual tradition, the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) and the Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division (WP) at the University of Bern, took an educational field trip. This year, the excursion took us to the Empa in Dübendorf.

CSH

Event Highlights

UniBE & JAXA @ NIHON MATSURI – The Grand Japan Festival 2026

On Sept 12-13, 2026, the Bern History Museum invited visitors to experience Japanese culture, food, and entertainment at the Japan Festival. Among the attractions was something a little different: a booth about meteorites and space research.

CSH

Research Highlights

BELA ready to explore Mercury’s surface

The joint ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury has entered its final phase after almost eight years in space. Following the successful separation of the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) from the two orbiters on 3 September 2026, the mission reached another important milestone on 14 September 2026: the laser of the BELA altimeter was successfully activated for the first time in space. The instrument was built under the leadership of the University of Bern.

UniBE Press Release