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 22 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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The Puli Lunar Water Snooper (PLWS), built by Hungarian space technology company Puli Space Technologies, during vibration testing in Hungary, at the Ecotech Zrt Lab, University of Dunaújváros, in 2022.
PLWS is a neutron spectrometer that will study water ice in the Moon's south pole region and provide the first direct surface measurements from a permanently shadowed crater.
The NASA-awarded instrument is mounted on Intuitive Machines' Micro Nova Hopper, a propulsive drone that will deploy off their lunar lander and hop across the Moon's surface during their second commercial mission, scheduled for no earlier than late February of this year.
ESA’s Lunar Science Office recognises the importance of the expected data and has made history by signing its first exploration data buy agreement with Puli Space Technologies. This collaboration highlights the expertise in the European space industry and sets a precedent for future public-private partnerships in deep space exploration. ESA will select a dedicated scientific team to work closely with Puli Space to analyse and standardise the data, which will be made publicly available later.