Topic: research

Nominations for the Estonian Science Communication Awards can be submitted to the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) until 15 September. The competition aims to recognise outstanding and active science communicators as well as innovative initiatives that promote science to wider audiences.

KuupKulgur, an Estonian lunar rover platform co-developed by Tartu Observatory and MTÜ KuupKulgur, reached a significant milestone in Estonia’s space robotics journey when it recently became the first Estonian-developed rover platform to operate at the unique lunar replica site, the ESA-DLR LUNA facility in Cologne, Germany.

At the Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu, the optical periscopic imager for comets OPIC was completed and will be handed over to the European Space Agency (ESA).

The European Space Agency and the University of Tartu have signed an agreement to develop the ESTCube-3 satellite. This is a major step forward in advancing Estonia’s space technology and cybersecurity, providing students and researchers with the opportunity to practise satellite control and operations. ESTCube-3 is planned for launch by early 2029.

The Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu has made remarkable progress over the past three years in the study of exoplanets – planets outside our Solar System. In collaboration with University College London, Uppsala University, and the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the observatory’s researchers have acquired new expertise in modern spectroscopy and the use of machine learning, bringing Estonian science to the forefront of international research.

Estonian space education and space technology are entering a new phase. On 22 August, the University of Tartu (UT), Tallinn University of Technology and the Estonian Student Satellite Foundation signed an official cooperation agreement to initiate a joint space programme running for at least three years.

A new study finds that galaxy clusters — cosmic cities packed with thousands of galaxies — trace invisible highways of dark matter stretching up to a billion light years across the universe. Even more remarkable, the clusters point the way to their neighbors.

The Axiom Mission 4 was launched from Kennedy Space Center on 25 June at 9:31, delivering volcanic algae to the International Space Station (ISS) for an experiment for which key electronic components were developed at Tartu Observatory.

On 23 May 2025, Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas approved the results of the external evaluation of Estonian research and development. The University of Tartu was the only institution in Estonia to receive a positive evaluation in all six fields: natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agriculture and veterinary sciences, social sciences, and humanities and the arts.

Doctoral studies are a part of the career path, giving you the knowledge and future skills needed to become a top specialist or manager.