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    ESA > Our Missions

    Our missions

    Sort by: date / name
    AeolusLaunch: 2018
    Mapping Earth's global wind fields
    Aeolus
    AlphasatLaunched: 2013 Innovative satellite telecommunications platform
    Alphasat
    ARDLaunched: 1998
    First European experimental reentry vehicle
    ARD
    ArianeFirst launch: 1979 Commercial launcher securing Europe’s non-dependent space access
    Ariane
    ArtemisLaunched: 2001 Technology demonstration for telecommunications
    Artemis
    AthenaLaunch: 2031
    Probing the hot and energetic Universe
    Athena
    ATVLaunched: 2008, 2011, 2012
    Space truck for ISS resupply
    ATV
    BepiColomboLaunch: 2018
    Europe’s first mission to Mercury
    BepiColombo
    BiomassLaunch: 2022
    Measuring forest biomass
    Biomass
    CheopsLaunch: 2019
    Studying planets around other stars
    Cheops
    ClusterLaunched: 1996 (failed), 2000
    Space plasma physics in 3D
    Cluster
    ColumbusLaunched: 2008 Europe’s ISS research laboratory
    Columbus
    Cos-BLaunched: 1975 Gamma-ray astronomy
    Cos-B
    CryoSatLaunched: 2005 (failed), 2010 Measuring polar-ice thickness
    CryoSat
    EarthCARELaunch: 2021
    Studying the roles of clouds and aerosols in our climate
    EarthCARE
    ECS seriesLaunched: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988
    Operational European telecommunications satellites
    ECS <b>series</b>
    EDRSFirst launch: 2016
    Geostationary satellites for relaying satellite data
    EDRS
    ElectraFirst launch: 2021
    Europe's first electric-propulsion telecom satellite
    Electra
    EnvisatLaunched: 2002
    10-instrument environmental satellite
    Envisat
    ERS-1 & -2Launched: 1991, 1995
    Radar-based Earth observation
    ERS-1 <b>&</b> -2
    ESRO series Launched: 1967 (failed), 1968, 1969, 1972
    Scientific exploration of space’s particle and radiation environment
    ESRO <b>series</b>
    EuclidLaunch: 2022
    Charting dark matter and dark energy’s effects on the Universe
    Euclid
    EurecaLaunched: 1992
    Reusable free-flying microgravity testbed
    Eureca
    European Robotic ArmLaunch: 2017
    Robotic arm serving Russian segment of ISS
    European Robotic Arm
    ExomarsLaunch: 2016, 2020
    Mars orbiter and lander, followed by rover and surface platform
    Exomars
    ExosatLaunched: 1983
    X-ray astronomy
    Exosat
    FlexLaunch: 2024
    Global vegetation health
    Flex
    GaiaLaunched: 2013
    Mission to map a billion local stars in 3D
    Gaia
    GalileoFirst launch: 2011
    Europe's global satellite navigation system
    Galileo
    GEOS-1 & -2Launched: 1977, 1978
    Probing dynamics of Earth’s magnetic field, waves and particles
    GEOS-1 <b>&</b> -2
    GiottoLaunched: 1985
    Intercepting Comet Halley and Comet Grigg–Skjellerup
    Giotto
    Giove-a & bLaunched: 2005, 2008
    Technology demonstration for Galileo
    Giove-a <b>&</b> b
    GOCELaunched: 2009
    Mapping Earth's gravity
    GOCE
    HEOS-1 & -2Launched: 1968 & 1972
    Probing Earth's magnetic field and the interplanetary medium
    HEOS-1 <b>&</b> -2
    HerschelLaunched: 2009
    Far-infrared astronomy mission
    Herschel
    HipparcosLaunched: 1989
    Mapping the positions of more than 100 000 stars
    Hipparcos
    Hubble Space TelescopeLaunched: 1990
    ESA contributed solar arrays and Faint Object Camera
    Hubble Space Telescope
    HuygensLaunched: 1997
    Surface probe of Saturn’s moon Titan
    Huygens
    Hylas-1Launched: 2010
    Broadband services in public-private partnership
    Hylas-1
    IntegralLaunched: 2002
    Gamma-ray astronomy
    Integral
    ISEE-2Launched: 1977
    Charting Sun–Earth relations and magnetic field
    ISEE-2
    ISOLaunched: 1995
    Infrared astronomy
    ISO
    IUELaunched: 1978
    Ultraviolet astronomy
    IUE
    IXVLaunched: 2015
    Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle
    IXV
    James Webb Space TelescopeLaunch: 2021
    Contributing two instruments to the next great space observatory
    James Webb Space Telescope
    JuiceLaunch: 2022
    Europe's first mission to the Jupiter system
    Juice
    LISA PathfinderLaunched: 2015
    Technology demonstration for gravitational wave detection
    LISA Pathfinder
    Marecs seriesLaunched: 1981, 1982 (failed), 1984
    Maritime telecommunications satellites
    Marecs <b>series</b>
    Mars ExpressLaunched: 2003
    Europe's first Red Planet orbiter
    Mars Express
    Meteosat seriesLaunched: 1977, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2015
    Europe's weather satellites for daily forecasting
    Meteosat <b>series</b>
    MetOp seriesLaunched: 2006, 2012
    Polar meteorological services
    MetOp <b>series</b>
    MetOp-SG SeriesFirst launch: 2021
    MetOp Second Generation
    MetOp-SG Series
    MSG seriesLaunched: 2002, 2005, 2012
    Second-generation European meteorology satellites
    MSG <b>series</b>
    MTG seriesFirst launch: 2021
    Meteosat Third Generation
    MTG <b>series</b>
    NeosatFirst launch: 2019
    Next-generation telecom satellite platform
    Neosat
    OlympusLaunched: 1989
    Technology demonstration for telecommunications
    Olympus
    OTS-1 & -2Launched: 1977 (failed), 1978
    Demonstrating technologies for telecommunications
    OTS-1 <b>&</b> -2
    PlanckLaunched: 2009
    Mapping the cosmic microwave background
    Planck
    PlatoLaunch: 2026
    Hunting planets beyond our Solar System
    Plato
    Proba seriesLaunched: 2001, 2009, 2013
    Technology demonstration microsatellites
    Proba <b>series</b>
    QuantumFirst launch: 2019
    The ‘chameleon’ telecom satellite
    Quantum
    RosettaLaunched: 2004
    Deep space comet rendezvous mission
    Rosetta
    SAT-AISFirst launch: 2019
    Microsatellites for identifying and tracking ships
    SAT-AIS
    Sentinel familyFirst launch: 2014
    A portfolio of operational Earth observation missions
    Sentinel <b>family</b>
    SmallGEOFirst launch: 2017
    New small platform for geostationary telecommunications
    SmallGEO
    SMART-1Launched: 2003
    Experimental Moon mission
    SMART-1
    SMOSLaunched: 2009
    Measuring soil moisture and ocean salinity
    SMOS
    SOHOLaunched: 1995
    Continuous observation of the Sun
    SOHO
    Solar OrbiterLaunch: 2020
    Europe’s closest mission to the Sun
    Solar Orbiter
    SpacelabFirst launched: 1983
    Laboratory module for NASA’s Space Shuttle; 22 launches
    Spacelab
    SwarmLaunched: 2013
    Trio of satellites mapping Earth’s magnetic field
    Swarm
    TD-1Launched: 1972
    UV, X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy
    TD-1
    UlyssesLaunched: 1990
    Charting space above and below the Sun’s poles
    Ulysses
    VegaFirst launch: 2012
    Europe’s small satellite launcher
    Vega
    Venus ExpressLaunched: 2005
    Europe’s first Venus orbiter
    Venus Express
    XMM-NewtonLaunched: 1999
    X-ray astronomy
    XMM-Newton
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