ESA in cooperation with the French national space agency CNES is currently supporting the development of a high-performance fibre optic gyroscope (FOG). The gyroscope has benefitted from a joint preparatory R&D programme initiated in the 1990s that secured the application of technology in a harsh space environment. Experts expect to use FOG in several future European space missions ranging from science satellites, such as Planck, to very accurate Earth observation and telecommunications applications.