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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 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

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Latest

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Week in images: 25-29 March 2024

Discover our week through the lens

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Image
Applications

Earth from Space: The Amazon plume

29/03/2024 628 views 19 likes
The Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission takes us over northern Brazil, where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
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Story
ESA X Samsung Galaxy Time new watch face
Agency

Time to see the bigger picture

28/03/2024 1902 views 20 likes
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Agency

Information session on the outcome of ESA's 323rd Council

27/03/2024 1846 views 11 likes
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Press Release N° 18–2023
Science & Exploration

Sweden intends to send ESA astronaut to the International Space Station

At the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, USA, on 18 April, ESA signed a letter of intent with the Swedish National Space Agency to send an ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station on an Axiom mission.
19/04/2023 8518 views
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Space in Member States

Find out more about space activities in our 22 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 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

Samantha Cristoforetti
Alexander Gerst
Matthias Maurer
Andreas Mogensen
Luca Parmitano
Tim Peake
Thomas Pesquet
Class of 2022

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
Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe
Science & Exploration

ESA and NASA team up to study solar wind

28/03/2024 1575 views 21 likes
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Image
Science & Exploration

SOHO reaches 5000 comets

27/03/2024 895 views 17 likes
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Press Release N° 17–2024
Science & Exploration

Media invitation: ESA's class of 2022 astronaut candidates graduate

ESA invites you to the graduation ceremony of its latest group of astronaut candidates at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, on Monday 22 April.
27/03/2024 567 views
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Science & Exploration

Space Team Europe for Euclid: Laurent Brouard

30/11/2023 2043 views 52 likes
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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 safety and security

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot The story so far Plans for the future

Asteroids

About 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 cleansat Space for Earth Supporting Sustainable Development

Space weather

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

Latest

Story
Juventas CubeSat deployment
Space Safety

Radar journey to centre of Hera’s asteroid with Juventas Cu…

27/03/2024 799 views 9 likes
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Image
Space Safety

Hera asteroid mission vs. absolutely nothing

06/03/2024 1368 views 29 likes
Hera asteroid mission vs. absolutely nothing
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Zero Debris key visual
Space Safety

Supporting the Zero Debris Charter

A collaborative effort for a sustainable future in orbit

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Space Safety

ESA satellite returns to Earth – ERS-2 reentry

23/02/2024 1599 views 18 likes
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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

Navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis LEO-PNT

Commercialisation

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

Latest

Image
Applications

Earth from Space: The Amazon plume

29/03/2024 628 views 19 likes
The Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission takes us over northern Brazil, where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
View
Story
Accounting for vegetation in the climate puzzle
Applications

Vegetation gets a boost with data from space

27/03/2024 700 views 13 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 2178 views
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Applications

NAVISP Industry 2023 @ ESTEC

05/12/2023 901 views 24 likes
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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 Previous launches

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Proba-3 Technology CubeSats

Latest

Story
Enabling & Support

New podcast explores breakthrough ESA technology

27/03/2024 143 views 1 likes
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Image
Enabling & Support

Laser light sabre

15/03/2024 1177 views 27 likes
Laser light sabre
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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 929 views
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Enabling & Support

ESA’s NavLab drone

22/01/2024 813 views 8 likes
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Measuring cyclones
Enabling & Support

Historic Aeolus reentry – how it happened

Get rolling updates on the Aeolus reentry, on the Rocket Science blog

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