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ESA title

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.

Highlights

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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

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 765 views 23 likes

High-contrast coronograph image of TWA 7b

Week in images: 23-27 June 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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 5070 views

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.

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

Go to topic

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

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 765 views 23 likes

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 3852 views

Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

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

Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

Go to topic

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

Asteroid - artist's impression

Will asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon?

27/06/2025 6351 views 44 likes

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

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

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

MTG-S1 and Sentinel-4 take to the skies

MTG-S1 and Sentinel-4 launch to change how we see our atmos…

02/07/2025 2178 views 19 likes

Press Release N° 1–2024

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 4300 views

ESA Φ-week 2021

Register for Φ-week

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

Prometheus to power future launch vehicles

Enabling & Support

Prometheus fires up once again (and again)

02/07/2025 162 views 3 likes

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

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 2579 views

Science & Exploration

History: 10 February - 19 February

ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science

ESA Science's 'On This Day In History' stories from 10 February until 19 February

Sir Edmond Halley (1656-1742)

Science & Exploration

10 February

1860 views 0 likes

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during repair mission STS-82

Science & Exploration

11 February

1151 views 0 likes

Marcel Minnaert (1893-1970)

Science & Exploration

12 February

617 views 0 likes

Johan Dreyer (1852-1926)

Science & Exploration

13 February

974 views 1 likes

The Tycho supernova

Science & Exploration

14 February

639 views 0 likes

Cassini's flyby of Phoebe shows a moon with a battered past

Science & Exploration

15 February

1014 views 1 likes

Lensed cluster

Science & Exploration

16 February

1292 views 0 likes

View of the whole Moon seen from Earth

Science & Exploration

17 February

1549 views 1 likes

Giant black hole rips star apart

Science & Exploration

18 February

1985 views 1 likes

Copernican view of the world

Science & Exploration

19 February

2208 views 8 likes

On This Day In History

1 January - 10 January

11 January - 20 January

21 January - 30 January

31 January - 9 February

10 February - 19 February

20 February - 29 February

1 March - 10 March

11 March - 20 March

21 March - 30 March