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About ESA

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.

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ESA - United space in Europe

This is ESA ESA facts Member States & Cooperating States Funding Director General Top management For Member State Delegations European vision European Space Policy ESA & EU Space Councils Responsibility & Sustainability Annual Report Calendar of meetings Corporate news

Establishments & sites

ESA Headquarters ESA ESTEC ESA ESOC ESA ESRIN ESA EAC ESA ESAC Europe's Spaceport ESA ESEC ESA ECSAT Brussels Office Washington Office

Working with ESA

Business with ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Law at ESA Careers Cyber resilience at ESA IT at ESA Newsroom Partnerships Merchandising Licence Education Open Space Innovation Platform Integrity and Reporting Administrative Tribunal Health and Safety

More about ESA

History ESA Historical Archives Exhibitions Publications Art & Culture ESA Merchandise Kids Diversity ESA Brand Centre ESA Champions

Latest

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Space Rider model ready to drop
Enabling & Support

Closing the loop: new Space Rider drop test

09/07/2025 551 views 2 likes
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A powerful heatwave has been gripping large parts of southern Europe. This image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer on 29 June 2025, reveals the temperature of the land surface.

Week in images: 30 June - 4 July 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Earth from Space: Zanzibar, Tanzania

04/07/2025 6219 views 50 likes
Earth from Space: Zanzibar, Tanzania
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MTG-S1 and Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission highlights

02/07/2025 895 views 39 likes
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Press Release N° 24–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA and NASA join forces to land Europe’s rover on Mars

ESA and NASA are consolidating their cooperation on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission with an agreement that ensures important US contributions, such as the launch service, elements of the propulsion system needed for landing on Mars and heater units for the Rosalind Franklin rover.
16/05/2024 5107 views
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Space in Member States

Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.

Germany Germany Austria Austria Belgium Belgium Denmark Denmark Spain Spain Estonia Estonia Finland Finland France France Greece Greece Hungary Hungary Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Luxembourg Luxembourg Norway Norway The Netherlands The Netherlands Poland Poland Portugal Portugal Czechia Czechia Romania Romania United Kingdom United Kingdom Slovenia Slovenia Sweden Sweden Switzerland Switzerland

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

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Programmes

Space Science Human and Robotic Exploration

Astronauts

Sophie Adenot
Pablo Álvarez Fernández
Rosemary Coogan
Samantha Cristoforetti
Alexander Gerst
Raphaël Liégeois
Matthias Maurer
Andreas Mogensen
Luca Parmitano
Thomas Pesquet
Marco Sieber

Missions

Juice Euclid Webb Solar Orbiter BepiColombo Gaia ExoMars Cheops Exoplanet missions More missions

Activities

International Space Station Orion service module Gateway Concordia Caves & Pangaea Benefits

Latest

Story
Exoplanet HIP 67522 b triggers flares from its host star (artist’s impression)
Science & Exploration

Clingy planets can trigger own doom, suspect Cheops and TESS

02/07/2025 2388 views 45 likes
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Science & Exploration

Webb spots a starburst shining in infrared

30/06/2025 2023 views 71 likes
A starburst shines in infrared (MIRI)
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Science & Exploration

Solar Orbiter gets world-first views of the Sun’s south pol…

11/06/2025 5143 views 50 likes
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Press Release N° 49–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA 3D prints first metal part on the International Space Station

The first metal 3D printer in space, a collaboration between ESA and Airbus, has printed its first metal product on the International Space Station, a breakthrough in crew autonomy for future long-duration exploration missions.
06/09/2024 3866 views
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Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

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Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

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About space safety

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot Space Safety at ESA

Asteroids

Asteroids and Planetary Defence Asteroid danger explained Flyeye telescope: asteroid detection Hera mission: asteroid deflection Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre

Space junk

About space debris Space debris by the numbers Space Environment Report In space refuelling, refurbishing and removing

Safety from space

Clean Space ecodesign Zero Debris Technologies Space for Earth Supporting Sustainable Development

Space weather

Solar Hazards ESA Vigil: providing solar warning Space Weather Warning Network

Latest

Story
Artist impression of ‘Oumuamua
Space Safety

ESA tracks rare interstellar comet

03/07/2025 28688 views 300 likes
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Space Safety

Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5

04/06/2025 1381 views 27 likes
Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5
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Space Safety

Media briefing: Europe's top experts address the growing th…

01/04/2025 1176 views 7 likes
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Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

Webb will provide a more accurate estimate of the asteroid's size

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Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

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Observing the Earth

Observing the Earth Future EO Copernicus Meteorology Space for our climate Satellite missions

Connectivity

Connectivity and Secure Communications ARTES Moonlight Civil security from space

Satellite navigation

Satellite navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis LEO-PNT

Commercialisation

ESA Commercialisation Gateway Open Space Innovation Platform Business Incubation ESA Space Solutions

Latest

Story
FutureEO
Applications

Watch live: Earth Explorer 11 User Consultation Meeting

07/07/2025 501 views 11 likes
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Earth from Space: Zanzibar, Tanzania

04/07/2025 6219 views 50 likes
Earth from Space: Zanzibar, Tanzania
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Video 00:02:18
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Applications

ESA’s Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme

20/11/2024 2517 views 29 likes
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Press Release N° 1–2024
Applications

Media invitation: Last chance to see the EarthCARE cloud and aerosol satellite in Europe

On 1 February, media representatives have the unique opportunity of seeing  the EarthCARE satellite up close in the cleanroom at Airbus facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany, before the spacecraft is packed up and shipped to California, USA, for a launch scheduled in May.
11/01/2024 4311 views
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ESA Φ-week 2021
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Register for Φ-week

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Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

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Building missions

Space Engineering and Technology Test centre Laboratories Concurrent Design Facility Preparing for the future Shaping the Future Discovery and Preparation Advanced Concepts Team

Space transportation

Space Transportation Ariane Vega Space Rider Future space transportation Boost! Europe's Spaceport Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Story
Space Rider model ready to drop
Enabling & Support

Closing the loop: new Space Rider drop test

09/07/2025 551 views 2 likes
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Image
Enabling & Support

Students take 3D-printed rovers for a spin

03/07/2025 673 views 32 likes
Students take 3D-printed rovers for a spin
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3590 views 66 likes
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Juice approaches Earth
Enabling & Support

Blog: Juice's lunar-Earth flyby

Follow for the latest updates as ESA's Jupiter mission swings through the Earth system this summer

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Press Release N° 8–2024
Enabling & Support

Call for interest: Ariane 6 launch media events at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending media events at Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, for the first flight of Europe's new rocket Ariane 6. Journalists wishing to participate in either or both the pre-launch and launch media programmes detailed below, are asked to submit their application via ESA’s media accreditation page by Friday 1 March 2024.
19/02/2024 2589 views
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Enabling & Support

ESTEC Open Day

07/10/2013 4374 views
ESA / Enabling & Support / Space Engineering & Technology / Highlights

More than 8 500 members of the public paid a visit to ESA's largest establishment for the 2013 ESTEC Open Day. See the video highlights here.

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    ESTEC Open Day 2013

    07/10/2013 1481 views 9 likes
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    ESTEC Open Day 2013
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    Astronauts Reinhold Ewald, André Kuipers and Ulf Merbold

    07/10/2013 1617 views 5 likes
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    Astronauts Reinhold Ewald, André Kuipers and Ulf Merbold
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    André signing autographs

    07/10/2013 1243 views 2 likes
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    André signing autographs
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    Cooking a comet

    07/10/2013 774 views 5 likes
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    Cooking a comet
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    3D tour of Space Station

    07/10/2013 1037 views 4 likes
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    3D tour of Space Station
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    Face painting

    07/10/2013 832 views 2 likes
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    Face painting
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    Waiting to see BepiColombo

    07/10/2013 459 views 0 likes
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    Waiting to see BepiColombo
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    Trying out a telescope

    07/10/2013 480 views 1 likes
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    Trying out a telescope
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    Shooting fire hoses

    07/10/2013 391 views 1 likes
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    Shooting fire hoses
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    ISS Cupola look-out

    07/10/2013 2169 views 5 likes
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    ISS Cupola look-out
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