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
Go to topicAll known life in the universe is contained within the thin sliver of air seen in this image, underlining the precious fragility of our Earth environment.
This image, showing the edge of our planet - known as the Earth's limb - at twilight, was taken by one of the STS-100 crew on 26 April 2001 from Space Shuttle Endeavour with a digital still camera.
Near the centre the silhouette of cloud layers can be seen in the atmosphere, above which lies an airglow layer (left).