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
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Two antennas under the fuselage of the Twin Otter plane can be seen in this photograpgh. The bigger antenna (lower part of the image) belongs to the ASIRAS instrument and measures at Ku-band, the same frequency as CryoSat’s. The smaller antenna within the fuselage hole was built by MetaSensing BV and uses the higher-frequency Ka-band. Future dual-frequency satellites, which exist only on the drawing board at the moment, can be simulated from the air by combining the frequencies. The concept is being tested as part of an experiment campaign in the Arctic.