ESA title

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.

Highlights

Careers
Business with ESA
Newsroom
Education
Kids
ESA Space Shop

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

Focus on
Streaks on Mars

Week in images: 19-23 May 2025

Discover our week through the lens

Open
Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Alakol, the multicoloured lake

23/05/2025 1829 views 43 likes
Lake Alakol in eastern Kazakhstan is featured in this radar image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1.
View
Story
Science & Exploration

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

21/05/2025 1310 views 39 likes
Read
Video 00:03:23
Play
Agency

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

02/05/2025 1777 views 37 likes
Play
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 4794 views
Open

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

Go to topic

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 1310 views 39 likes
Read
Image
Science & Exploration

Orion on the move

14/05/2025 743 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.
View
Video 00:05:23
Play
Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 3701 views 75 likes
Play
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 3604 views
Open
Focus on
Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

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

Open

Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

Go to topic

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

140 views 0 likes
Read
Image
Space Safety

Close approach of asteroid (612356) 2002 JX8

08/05/2025 1236 views 19 likes
Close approach of asteroid (612356) 2002 JX8
View
Video 01:07:58
Play
Space Safety

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

01/04/2025 709 views 6 likes
Play
Focus on
Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

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

Open

Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

Go to topic

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 1829 views 43 likes
Lake Alakol in eastern Kazakhstan is featured in this radar image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1.
View
Story
Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl
Applications

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

22/05/2025 293 views 11 likes
Read
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

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

20/11/2024 2221 views 22 likes
Play
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 4208 views
Open
Focus on
ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

Register for Φ-week

Open

Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

Go to topic

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 562 views 7 likes
Read
Image
Enabling & Support

Plato’s dialogue

13/05/2025 604 views 21 likes
Plato’s dialogue
View
Video 00:02:27
Play
Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3429 views 64 likes
Play
Focus on
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

Open
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 2515 views
Open
Enabling & Support

Space Engineering & Technology

Space Engineering & Technology

Latest

Focus on

TEC Business to Business website

Open
Story
Fuelling Galileo-13
Agency

Navigate revisions to laws on hazardous chemicals in the EU

22/05/2025 411 views 24 likes
Read
Video 00:00:33
Play
Enabling & Support

Simulating space on Earth for miniature satellite testing

12/05/2025 840 views 20 likes
Play
Story
Proba-3 Occulter eclipsing Sun for Coronagraph spacecraft
Enabling & Support

Proba-3 achieves precise formation flying

08/05/2025 5257 views 63 likes
Read
Story
Advanced Concepts Team’s ELOPE challenge
Enabling & Support

‘ELOPE’ with ESA’s moon landing guidance competition

01/05/2025 1129 views 27 likes
Read
Image
Enabling & Support

Hovering over Europe’s flattest floor with AI

24/04/2025 1283 views 41 likes
Hovering over Europe’s flattest floor with AI
View
Story
ESA was guest of honour at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2025
Agency

Space technologies find new life on Earth

16/04/2025 1636 views 25 likes
Read
Story
Space Rider's ALEK in accoustic chamber
Enabling & Support

Space Rider’s smart ALEK passes bumpy, noisy, shocking test…

10/04/2025 1917 views 39 likes
Read
Image
Enabling & Support

New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes

09/04/2025 2338 views 58 likes
New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes
View
Image
Science & Exploration

Smile meets Maxwell

08/04/2025 2017 views 54 likes
Smile meets Maxwell
View
Image
Enabling & Support

Firing up HENON’s engine

03/04/2025 1408 views 26 likes
Firing up HENON’s engine
View
Image
Enabling & Support

Inner space engineering

21/03/2025 1806 views 37 likes
Inner space engineering
View
Video 00:02:43
Play
Space Safety

Sped-up simulation of Hera’s Mars flyby

11/03/2025 1813 views 46 likes
Play
Video 00:00:46
Play
Enabling & Support

Space weather station

07/02/2025 1050 views 22 likes
Play
Video 00:02:32
Play
Enabling & Support

The power of two: Proba-3

05/12/2024 1563 views 22 likes
Play

More items
  • Video
    Enabling & Support

    How do you build a spaceship?

    01/04/2019 9220 views 95 likes
    Open item
  • Agency

    Technology Image of the Week Archive

    Open item
  • Video
    Space Safety

    Hera: ESA’s planetary defence mission

    25/06/2019 23758 views 319 likes
    Open item
  • Image
    Agency

    1: 11 steps to make a space mission

    01/04/2019 4924 views 20 likes
    Open item
    1: 11 steps to make a space mission
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Related

Focus on
ALINA on the Moon
Enabling & Support

Preparing for the Future

Open
Focus on
Test board
Enabling & Support

Shaping the Future

Open
Focus on
Enabling & Support

Technology Harmonisation

Technology Harmonisation

Open

More

What we do

Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (TEC)

Engineering

Engineering for space Support to projects Ensuring quality

Cross-cutting initiatives

About Cross-cutting initiatives Clean Space Design 2 Produce Advanced Manufacturing Technology Breakthroughs for Science (TEBS) Technologies for Exploration Space and Energy

Electrical

Electrical engineering Control Systems Data Systems RF Payloads & Technology Electromagnetics and Space Environment Power Systems

Mechanical

Mechanical engineering Thermal Control Structures and Mechanisms Mechatronics and Optics, incl. robotics and life support Propulsion and Aerothermodynamics

Systems

Systems and software engineering Software Systems Systems Engineering, incl. cost engineering

Product Assurance

Product Assurance Flight Safety Dependability Quality Management and Assurance Materials and Processes Electronic Components Software Product Assurance

Standards

Requirements and standards European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) European Space Components Coordination (ESCC)

Technology

Going up Giant leaps
Technology Harmonisation

Directorate Technology programmes

About Directorate Technology Programmes Technology Development Element Programme (TDE) General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) Technology Transfer and Patent Office (TTPO) European Components Initiative (ECI)

Technology in domain programmes

Technology in domain programmes

Services

ESA Conferences

Recommended

Focus on

Technology Image of the Week Archive

Open
Focus on
Thruster pic for Link

Technology strategy

Open
Focus on
1: 11 steps to make a space mission

11 steps to make a space mission

Open
Focus on
Hera spacecraft

Hera

Open
Focus on
ESTEC50 HL

50 years of ESTEC brochure

Open
Focus on

Test Centre

Open
Focus on
Chamber for thermal testing

Laboratories

Laboratories

Open
Focus on
Natanael Ayllon

Talking Technology

Open
Focus on

Proba Missions

Open
Focus on
Enabling & Support

Concurrent Design Facility

Designing future space missions

Open
Focus on
Clean Space logo

Clean Space initiative

Clean Space initiative

Open
Focus on
ESA engineering

Technology Transfer and Patent Office (TTPO)

Technology Transfer and Patent Office (TTPO)

Open
Focus on

Publications

Publications

Open
Focus on

Networking/Partnering Initiative

Open
Focus on

Space for Energy

Space for Energy

Open