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 topicSpace around Earth is influenced by the highly dynamic Sun with its transient explosive eruptions and its constantly outflowing solar wind. Spacecraft operate continually in these dynamic, and often adverse conditions which can lead to a variety of effects including radiation damage and electrical phenomena which, in extreme cases, can lead to entire spaceraft loss. The application of space environment models to mission preparation helps to limit the damage and enables experts to estimate the level of protection nesessary for spacecraft to meet their life-time requirements while avoiding over-design.