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 topicHOPE is a three-sensor system innovative mine detector. It first uses a classical metal detector to locate potential mines and then, once a possible landmine is located, HOPE’s two additional sensors come into operation: the ground penetration radar (GPR) and the radiometer. The GPR was originally developed for space exploration. This prototype version used in Bosnia includes a newly developed dual-metal coil with a metal detector (seen near the ground) above which the ground penetration radar and the radiometer (the two slim boxes) are located. On this version there is also a positioning system providing very precise reference data to be used in the evaluation of the measurement results (mounted camera with metre stick on ground). The Handheld Operational Demining System (HOPE) project is part of the European Union’s efforts to support humanitarian demining operations. ESA assists these efforts under its Technology Transfer Programme, which supports the use of space technology in non-space fields. Photo: P.Nielsen