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 topicOn 8 June 2004, like many others around the world, Tomáš Maruška from Bratislava in Slovakia, captured images of the Venus transit. Few of the images of this unusual astronomical event will have been as unique as those taken by Tomáš – his images also show the International Space Station (ISS) passing in front of the Sun.