"ESA's TIE Fighter Crash: A Galactic Setback"
A full-sized Star Wars TIE Fighter made an appearance at the ESA Open Days in the Netherlands, attracting over 8,000 visitors. The TIE Fighter was showcased in the Hertz radio-frequency test chamber, typically used for testing satellite radio performance. The chamber's walls are lined with radio-absorbing foam pyramids, allowing for accurate radio-frequency testing. The TIE Fighter appearance was part of the event's "Science Fiction Gets Real" theme, highlighting the connection between science fiction and real-life technology, such as ESA's use of ion engine technology in missions like BepiColombo.