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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In order to be the world's most sensitive X-ray observatory, ESA's XMM is the largest scientific satellite ever built in Europe. It is about 10 m long and nearly 4 t in mass. A long, wide tube accommodates the focal length of the X-ray telescopes and dominates the design. Most of the spacecraft's mass is concentrated at one end. The short but heavy X-ray multi-mirror modules are mounted in a mirror support platform (right). Surrounding it, the service module carries the solar-powered electrical system, and the data-handling and telecommunications equipment. At the top left end of the telescope the X-ray detectors straddle the foci of the telescopes and spectrographs, in the focal plane assembly. [Image Date: 1997-07-00] [97.11.015-002]