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
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Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Based on data from ESA’s Aeolus wind mission, the image shows how the polar vortex in the lower stratosphere changed between 1 December 2020 and 1 February 2021. The first few plots at the beginning of December show the vortex in a comparatively normal state, but in mid-December patches of blue wind appear, and the wind is going westwards relative to normal conditions.
Read full story: Aeolus shines a light on polar vortex