'Gaia’s 12-year mission ends': The space telescope that rewrote the galaxy goes silent
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Galactic Cartographer
Launched in 2013, Gaia mapped nearly two billion stars in 3D—reshaping everything we know about the Milky Way.
Historic Shutdown
On March 27, 2025, ESA sent its final shutdown command, ending one of the most transformative missions in astronomy.
Silent Legacy
Though offline, Gaia’s data will keep revolutionizing science. Its next release in 2026, and a legacy catalog in 2030, promise new discoveries.
Tough Goodbye
Gaia resisted deactivation—engineers had to corrupt its software to ensure it wouldn't wake again under sunlight.
Responsible Exit
ESA placed Gaia in a solar orbit that avoids Earth for 100+ years—part of a growing push for sustainable space operations.
Credit: ESA
Final Tests
Engineers ran last-minute tests, stress-testing propulsion systems to inform future missions like ESA’s LISA, which will hunt gravitational waves.
Hidden Signatures
Before shutdown, engineers encoded over 1,500 names and personal messages into Gaia’s memory—ensuring their legacy sails with it.
Resilient Machine
From solar flares to micrometeoroids, Gaia survived it all—often bouncing back from malfunctions that could have ended other missions.
Emotional Farewell
The final transmission carried both technical commands and emotional weight—Gaia now drifts, silent but storied, into the cosmic archive.
Credit: ESA