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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

Business with ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Law at ESA Careers Cyber resilience at ESA IT at ESA Newsroom Partnerships Merchandising Licence Education Open Space Innovation Platform Integrity and Reporting Administrative Tribunal Health and Safety

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History ESA Historical Archives Exhibitions Publications Art & Culture ESA Merchandise Kids Diversity ESA Brand Centre ESA Champions

Latest

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Science & Exploration

Webb brings dying star's energetic display into full focus

14/04/2025 448 views 13 likes
Planetary Nebula NGC 1514 (MIRI image)
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Fuelling Biomass

Week in images: 07-11 April 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Science & Exploration

Aleš Svoboda | Supersonic, Space Stuff & STEM | ESA Explore…

11/04/2025 426 views 24 likes
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Story
Science & Exploration

From boring to bursting: a giant black hole awakens

11/04/2025 5287 views 46 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 4489 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

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Science & Exploration

Webb brings dying star's energetic display into full focus

14/04/2025 448 views 13 likes
Planetary Nebula NGC 1514 (MIRI image)
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Story
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer wears the ATLAS analogue suit inside the LUNA facility to test virtual reality headsets for future lunar training.
Science & Exploration

LUNA’s virtual leap towards the Moon

14/04/2025 392 views 10 likes
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 2449 views 60 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 3319 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 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

Video 01:07:58
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Space Safety

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

01/04/2025 277 views 3 likes
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Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 11889 views 34 likes
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Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4567 views 86 likes
Hera Mars flyby
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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

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Applications

Earth from Space: Great Barrier Reef, Australia

11/04/2025 5403 views 75 likes
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image shows part of one of the world’s natural wonders – the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea off the east coast of Queensland, Australia.
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Preparing Biomass for fuelling
Applications

Biomass fully loaded

10/04/2025 1613 views 24 likes
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Applications

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

20/11/2024 1927 views 20 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 4089 views
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ESA Φ-week 2021
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

Story
Space Rider's ALEK in accoustic chamber
Enabling & Support

Space Rider’s smart ALEK passes bumpy, noisy, shocking test…

10/04/2025 1204 views 29 likes
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Enabling & Support

New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes

09/04/2025 1542 views 46 likes
New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3233 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 2445 views
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Science & Exploration

Saturn surprises

24/07/2017 671 views
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Highlights
New views from Cassini’s weekly dives between Saturn and its rings
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    Science & Exploration

    Saturn noodle mosaic

    25/07/2017 1425 views 14 likes
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    Saturn noodle mosaic
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    Science & Exploration

    Haze on the horizon

    25/07/2017 1428 views 12 likes
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    Haze on the horizon
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    Science & Exploration

    C-ring plateaus and textures

    25/07/2017 909 views 5 likes
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    C-ring plateaus and textures
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    Science & Exploration

    C-ring plateaus and textures

    25/07/2017 815 views 4 likes
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    C-ring plateaus and textures
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    Science & Exploration

    Audio pops

    25/07/2017 859 views 4 likes
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    Audio pops
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    Science & Exploration

    Near-infrared noodle mosaic of Saturn

    25/07/2017 745 views 2 likes
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    Near-infrared noodle mosaic of Saturn
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