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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3D-printed prototype version of the support structure for ESA's Sentinel-1's upper S-band antenna, produced by RUAG Space Switzerland, with Altair and EOS. Produced in metal using selective laser melting, the redesigned part has a mass of 0.94 kg compared to the original part's mass of 1.4 kg, and also boasts improved stability. It was designed using 'topology optimisation', where software decides where material needs to go in order to best meet the part's function, constrained by its stress load and interface points with the rest of the satellite.