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About ESA

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

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ESA - United space in Europe

This is ESA ESA facts Member States & Cooperating States Funding Director General Top management For Member State Delegations European vision European Space Policy ESA & EU Space Councils Responsibility & Sustainability Annual Report Calendar of meetings Corporate news

Establishments & sites

ESA Headquarters ESA ESTEC ESA ESOC ESA ESRIN ESA EAC ESA ESAC Europe's Spaceport ESA ESEC ESA ECSAT Brussels Office Washington Office

Working with ESA

Business with ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Law at ESA Careers Cyber resilience at ESA IT at ESA Newsroom Partnerships Merchandising Licence Education Open Space Innovation Platform Integrity and Reporting Administrative Tribunal Health and Safety

More about ESA

History ESA Historical Archives Exhibitions Publications Art & Culture ESA Merchandise Kids Diversity ESA Brand Centre ESA Champions

Latest

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Streaks on Mars

Week in images: 19-23 May 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Alakol, the multicoloured lake

23/05/2025 1259 views 28 likes
Lake Alakol in eastern Kazakhstan is featured in this radar image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1.
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Science & Exploration

Recipe for a ‘rocky road’ crater soaked in martian history

21/05/2025 1217 views 36 likes
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Agency

Exoplanets explained by Nobel Prize winner (part 1) | The 5…

02/05/2025 1765 views 37 likes
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Press Release N° 24–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA and NASA join forces to land Europe’s rover on Mars

ESA and NASA are consolidating their cooperation on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission with an agreement that ensures important US contributions, such as the launch service, elements of the propulsion system needed for landing on Mars and heater units for the Rosalind Franklin rover.
16/05/2024 4790 views
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Space in Member States

Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.

Germany Germany Austria Austria Belgium Belgium Denmark Denmark Spain Spain Estonia Estonia Finland Finland France France Greece Greece Hungary Hungary Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Luxembourg Luxembourg Norway Norway The Netherlands The Netherlands Poland Poland Portugal Portugal Czechia Czechia Romania Romania United Kingdom United Kingdom Slovenia Slovenia Sweden Sweden Switzerland Switzerland

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

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Programmes

Space Science Human and Robotic Exploration

Astronauts

Sophie Adenot
Pablo Álvarez Fernández
Rosemary Coogan
Samantha Cristoforetti
Alexander Gerst
Raphaël Liégeois
Matthias Maurer
Andreas Mogensen
Luca Parmitano
Thomas Pesquet
Marco Sieber

Missions

Juice Euclid Webb Solar Orbiter BepiColombo Gaia ExoMars Cheops Exoplanet missions More missions

Activities

International Space Station Orion service module Gateway Concordia Caves & Pangaea Benefits

Latest

Story
Science & Exploration

Recipe for a ‘rocky road’ crater soaked in martian history

21/05/2025 1217 views 36 likes
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Science & Exploration

Orion on the move

14/05/2025 727 views 33 likes
On 3 May, the fully assembled Orion spacecraft for Artemis II began its journey to the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft is shown in transport, with its protective fairing panels clearly visible and proudly bearing the ESA and NASA logos.
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 3688 views 75 likes
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Press Release N° 49–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA 3D prints first metal part on the International Space Station

The first metal 3D printer in space, a collaboration between ESA and Airbus, has printed its first metal product on the International Space Station, a breakthrough in crew autonomy for future long-duration exploration missions.
06/09/2024 3598 views
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Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

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Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

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About space safety

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot Space Safety at ESA

Asteroids

Asteroids and Planetary Defence Asteroid danger explained Flyeye telescope: asteroid detection Hera mission: asteroid deflection Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre

Space junk

About space debris Space debris by the numbers Space Environment Report In space refuelling, refurbishing and removing

Safety from space

Clean Space ecodesign Zero Debris Technologies Space for Earth Supporting Sustainable Development

Space weather

Solar Hazards ESA Vigil: providing solar warning Space Weather Warning Network

Latest

Story
Space Safety Programme CM25 Brochure - page 1
Space Safety

Competitiveness in Space Safety to enable European industry

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Space Safety

Close approach of asteroid (612356) 2002 JX8

08/05/2025 1231 views 19 likes
Close approach of asteroid (612356) 2002 JX8
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Space Safety

Media briefing: Europe's top experts address the growing th…

01/04/2025 701 views 6 likes
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Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

Webb will provide a more accurate estimate of the asteroid's size

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Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

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Observing the Earth

Observing the Earth Future EO Copernicus Meteorology Space for our climate Satellite missions

Connectivity

Connectivity and Secure Communications ARTES Moonlight Civil security from space

Satellite navigation

Satellite navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis LEO-PNT

Commercialisation

ESA Commercialisation Gateway Open Space Innovation Platform Business Incubation ESA Space Solutions

Latest

Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Alakol, the multicoloured lake

23/05/2025 1259 views 28 likes
Lake Alakol in eastern Kazakhstan is featured in this radar image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1.
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Story
Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl
Applications

Media invitation: embark a tall ship for a dive into ocean …

22/05/2025 277 views 11 likes
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Applications

ESA’s Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme

20/11/2024 2217 views 22 likes
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Press Release N° 1–2024
Applications

Media invitation: Last chance to see the EarthCARE cloud and aerosol satellite in Europe

On 1 February, media representatives have the unique opportunity of seeing  the EarthCARE satellite up close in the cleanroom at Airbus facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany, before the spacecraft is packed up and shipped to California, USA, for a launch scheduled in May.
11/01/2024 4206 views
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ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

Register for Φ-week

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Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

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Building missions

Space Engineering and Technology Test centre Laboratories Concurrent Design Facility Preparing for the future Shaping the Future Discovery and Preparation Advanced Concepts Team

Space transportation

Space Transportation Ariane Vega Space Rider Future space transportation Boost! Europe's Spaceport Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Story
YPSat-2 Team at ESTEC during the Young Professionals Event 2024
Enabling & Support

The Team behind YPSat-2

16/05/2025 552 views 7 likes
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Enabling & Support

Plato’s dialogue

13/05/2025 600 views 21 likes
Plato’s dialogue
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3426 views 64 likes
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Juice approaches Earth
Enabling & Support

Blog: Juice's lunar-Earth flyby

Follow for the latest updates as ESA's Jupiter mission swings through the Earth system this summer

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Press Release N° 8–2024
Enabling & Support

Call for interest: Ariane 6 launch media events at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending media events at Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, for the first flight of Europe's new rocket Ariane 6. Journalists wishing to participate in either or both the pre-launch and launch media programmes detailed below, are asked to submit their application via ESA’s media accreditation page by Friday 1 March 2024.
19/02/2024 2514 views
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Agency

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Welcome SMEs

Opportunities for SMEs

Industry Space Days Invitations to tender (esa-star publication) Open Space Innovation Platform Procurement dashboard ESA programmes of interest to SMEs Latest business opportunities for SMEs esa-match Business with ESA on LinkedIn

Training

SME training courses Training materials ESA Learning hub

Resources

How to do business with ESA SME definition criteria List of SMEs registered with ESA Access to ESA facilities ECSS Standards Calendar of ESA events Contact SME Office @ESAforSME

Recommended

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SME initiative

Welcome SMEs

The SME Office helps SMEs, start-ups and newcomers to get involved in ESA's research and development activities.

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ESA SME Twitter banner

SME Initiative brochure

Find out how ESA's SME Initiative supports your business with ESA

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SME newsletter

Newsletter

The SME Initiative newsletter gives the latest news on activities of the SME Office and SME-related activities within ESA.

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Industry Space Days 2016

Industry Space Days

Find out more about ESA's Industry Space Days event for SMEs at ESA ESTEC, Noordwijk, in the Netherlands.

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Industry Space Days 2024

Industry Space Days homepage

ESA's Industry Space Days 2024 was held on 18–19 September at ESA's technical centre in The Netherlands

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esa-star for business with ESA

esa-star Registration and Tendering

esa-star simplifies the document handling process between ESA and its external partners

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Tools for doing Business with ESA

Doing Business with ESA portal

Access the entire esa-star toolset, information on ESA procurement, together with links to esa-p and other useful resources

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esa-match makes it easier for companies wanting to do business in the space sector to find potential partners

esa-match homepage

Learn about ESA's free online esa-match platform and find potential partners to do business with in the space sector

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SME definition criteria icon

SME definition criteria

SMEs identify themselves so that they can receive the full support of the EU and its Member States.

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Opportunities for SMEs icon

Opportunities for SMEs

ESA programmes and activities of interest to SMEs.

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SME training icon

SME training

ESA offers a range of training courses for SMEs throughout the year. View the calendar and click on the links to register.

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SME database icon

SMEs registered with ESA

Find the expertise you need close by in the list of SMEs registered with ESA, or register your own SME to do business with ESA.

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SME4Space

Members of SME4Space learn about opportunities and activities in the space domain and receive support to get involved in ESA and EU programmes

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Enabling & Support

GSTP brochure

ESA's General Support Technology Programme works with industry to convert promising engineering concepts into usable products

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The Open Space Innovation Platform

Open Discovery Ideas Channel

Share your idea

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SME helpdesk

SME helpdesk

Email the SME Office for help and information.

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Latest

Story
Fuelling Galileo-13
Agency

Navigate revisions to laws on hazardous chemicals in the EU

22/05/2025 375 views 22 likes
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ESA Learning Hub training

Interactive webinar: ESA and Intellectual Property Rights

Register to join on 25 June 2025 at 10–12:00 CEST to learn about ESA and IPR in early technology development

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Story
Space for Europe
Agency

Upcoming ESA–Industry events prepare for Ministerial Counci…

28/04/2025 1342 views 19 likes
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ESA was guest of honour at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2025
Agency

Space technologies find new life on Earth

16/04/2025 1627 views 25 likes
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Story
Technical centre at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
Agency

Industry Days: Spaceport digital and maintenance opportunit…

09/04/2025 1333 views 11 likes
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Enabling & Support

Build the future of the European space sector with ESA

07/04/2025 1736 views 12 likes
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ESA Learning Hub training

Webinar: Compliant industrial rates for ESA projects

Register to join 13 May 2025 at 10–12:00 CEST for finance teams especially in small companies

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ESA Learning Hub training

Webinar: Intellectual Property and Patents

Register now for a series of webinars on due diligence, licencing and claims on 7, 21 and 28 March 2025

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Space for Europe

CM25 industry event 3–4 April 2025

Register for a two-day event for industry at ESA–ESTEC for insights on the upcoming ESA Council at Ministerial Level

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Propulsion for satellites

Webinar: REACH Tool

Register to join online on 26 February 2025 (14:00–16:30 CET). ESA's REACH tool helps companies to comply with EU chemicals regulation

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SpaceSense and Magdrive win ESA’s start-ups competition
Agency

ESA announces winning startups at IAC

22/09/2022 752 views 0 likes
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Video 00:53:42
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Science & Exploration

Live from Space: Samantha Cristoforetti speaks at the World…

26/05/2022 1023 views 6 likes
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Video 01:31:10
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Applications

New Space & Commercialisation in Earth observation | LPS 20…

26/05/2022 1205 views 5 likes
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Agency

Commercialisation – ESA’s added space ingredient

08/09/2021 2761 views 62 likes
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Video 00:29:48
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Agency

Part 4 - Financing space: options for SMEs and midcaps in E…

04/03/2021 1270 views 2 likes
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Business with ESA

ESA procurements aim to accomplish ESA space missions and to support the competitiveness of the European space industry.

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Business Opportunities

ESA collaborates with industry and business opportunities are released regularly

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How to do business with ESA

Find out about tenders, proposals and finance with ESA

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