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.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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ESA's Advanced Gradient Heating Facility (AGHF) flew aboard the Life & Microgravity Sciences (LMS) Spacelab mission in June 1996 for materials processing experiments. LMS Payload Commander Susan Helms and CNES Payload Specialist Jean-Jacques Favier are seen exchanging an AGHF experiment cartridge. The cartridge contains the sample that is melted at up to 1400degC and then allowed to solidify. The white ring on the cartridge is the Liquid Metal Ring that, together with the heater/cooling zone assembly, slides along the cartridge to create the steep temperature gradient (100degC/cm). The crystal growth rate at the solidification front (liquid/solid interface) can be controlled by the rate of movement of the heater/cooling zone assembly along the cartridge (17-0.01 mm/minute). [Image Date: 1996/06] [98.04.007-001]