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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

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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

Enabling & Support

Farewell, Gaia! Spacecraft operations come to an end

27/03/2025 60 views 1 likes

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Galaxies in different shapes captured by Euclid

Week in images: 17-21 March 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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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 4361 views

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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

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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

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

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

Hera's autonomous surface feature tracking during Mars flyby

Space Safety

Hera asteroid mission tested self-driving technique at Mars

25/03/2025 1105 views 27 likes

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Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

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

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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

Satellite navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis LEO-PNT

Commercialisation

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

Latest

Applications

MetOp-SG documents and publications

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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 4004 views

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Applications

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 Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Enabling & Support

Farewell, Gaia! Spacecraft operations come to an end

27/03/2025 60 views 1 likes

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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

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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 2402 views

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Science & Exploration

Best of Blue Dot

17/07/2014 15340 views

ESA / Science & Exploration / Human and Robotic Exploration / Blue dot / Highlights

Images from ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's space mission

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Science & Exploration
Butterfly Earth

15/07/2014 3516 views 18 likes
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Science & Exploration
Neoguri

08/07/2014 7526 views 86 likes
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Science & Exploration
Antarctic aurora

02/07/2014 3096 views 21 likes
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Science & Exploration
Columbus laboratory

20/06/2014 1741 views 5 likes
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Science & Exploration
Banks Peninsula, New Zealand

05/06/2014 4596 views 15 likes
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Science & Exploration
Home with a view

02/06/2014 4736 views 62 likes
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Science & Exploration
Expedition 40/41 portrait

05/06/2014 1286 views 5 likes
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Agency
Cygnus Orbital-2

17/07/2014 1562 views 5 likes
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Agency
Orbital-2 sunrise

17/07/2014 1491 views 2 likes
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Agency
Frog lake

17/07/2014 1730 views 3 likes
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Agency
Space air guitar

17/07/2014 965 views 0 likes
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Agency
Paris, France

17/07/2014 3258 views 4 likes
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Science & Exploration
Moonrise

17/07/2014 4066 views 20 likes
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