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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 Space Councils 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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Cebreros transmitting the Blue Danube Waltz

Week in images: 02-06 June 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Applications

Earth from Space: Saharan dust plume

05/06/2025 20920 views 61 likes
A thick plume of sand and dust from the Sahara Desert is seen in these satellite images blowing from the west coast of Africa across the Atlantic Ocean.
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Story
On 31 May, a live performance of The Blue Danube – often referred to as the ‘anthem of space’ – was transmitted by the European Space Agency (ESA) into the vastness of space. The event marked a double celebration: ESA’s 50th anniversary and the 200th birthday of the King of Waltz Johann Strauss II.
Agency

The Blue Danube Waltz sent into the stars

05/06/2025 651 views 17 likes
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Video 00:02:27
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An animation showing ESA’s Smile mission watching on as the Sun’s solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field.
Science & Exploration

Meet Smile

04/06/2025 1151 views 44 likes
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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 4901 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.

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 Slovenia Slovenia 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

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

Latest

Story
Milky Way and Andromeda encounters
Science & Exploration

Hubble and Gaia revisit fate of our galaxy

02/06/2025 2747 views 40 likes
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Science & Exploration

Webb glimpses the distant past

27/05/2025 19850 views 324 likes
A glimpse of the distant past by Webb
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Video 00:05:23
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 4036 views 80 likes
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Press Release N° 49–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA 3D prints first metal part on the International Space Station

The first metal 3D printer in space, a collaboration between ESA and Airbus, has printed its first metal product on the International Space Station, a breakthrough in crew autonomy for future long-duration exploration missions.
06/09/2024 3705 views
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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 space safety

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot Space Safety at ESA

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

Story
Flyeye's view of the Andromeda galaxy
Space Safety

ESA’s new asteroid hunter opens its eye to the sky

05/06/2025 3858 views 55 likes
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Space Safety

Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5

04/06/2025 1140 views 24 likes
Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5
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Video 01:07:58
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Space Safety

Media briefing: Europe's top experts address the growing th…

01/04/2025 857 views 6 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

Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Saharan dust plume

05/06/2025 20920 views 61 likes
A thick plume of sand and dust from the Sahara Desert is seen in these satellite images blowing from the west coast of Africa across the Atlantic Ocean.
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Story
MTG-Sounder satellite over the equator
Applications

Why MTG-S1 is a nowcasting game-changer

05/06/2025 1279 views 39 likes
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Applications

ESA’s Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme

20/11/2024 2316 views 25 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 4243 views
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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 Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Story
Cebreros transmitting the Blue Danube Waltz
Enabling & Support

ESA transmits the Blue Danube Waltz into deep space

04/06/2025 1611 views 25 likes
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Enabling & Support

Plato’s dialogue

13/05/2025 749 views 23 likes
Plato’s dialogue
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3466 views 64 likes
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Juice approaches Earth
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 2544 views
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Science & Exploration

Return to Earth

14/12/2017 239 views
ESA / Science & Exploration / Human and Robotic Exploration / Highlights

ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli landed in the Kazakh steppe in the Soyuz spacecraft that returned him and crewmates Randy Bresnik and Sergey Ryazansky to Earth in the early hours of 14 December 2017.

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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 707 views 3 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 911 views 4 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 631 views 2 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 662 views 1 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 857 views 9 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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    Science & Exploration

    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth

    14/12/2017 552 views 1 likes
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    Paolo Nespoli back on Earth
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