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
Go to topicTwenty years ago, on the 24 April 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery launched the Hubble Space Telescope, a joint NASA-ESA mission. Its discoveries have resulted in, quite probably, the most significant advances in astronomy since Galileo's telescope. It has provided the world's scientists with profound and unforeseen insights into the Universe, with hundreds of thousands of images of astounding beauty. The space telescope has greatly increased the publics curiosity and fascination for the mysteries of the Universe and our place in it.