ESA title

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.

Highlights

Careers
Business with ESA
Newsroom
Education
Kids
ESA Space Shop

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

More about ESA

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

Latest

Focus on

Week in images: 31 March - 04 April 2025

Discover our week through the lens

Open
Video 00:08:54
Play
Science & Exploration

Amelie Schoenenwald | Science, Exploration, Training | ESA …

04/04/2025 522 views 22 likes
Play
Image
Science & Exploration

Hubble spots stellar sculptors at work in a nearby galaxy

04/04/2025 1114 views 28 likes
View
Story
Thwaites Glacier from Sentinel-1
Applications

How hidden lakes threaten Antarctic Ice Sheet stability

03/04/2025 765 views 5 likes
Read
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 4432 views
Open

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

Go to topic

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

Image
Science & Exploration

Hubble spots stellar sculptors at work in a nearby galaxy

04/04/2025 1114 views 28 likes
View
Story
Artist view: ExoMars lander
Science & Exploration

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will have a European landin…

30/03/2025 2812 views 41 likes
Read
Video 00:05:23
Play
Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 2037 views 55 likes
Play
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 3257 views
Open
Focus on
Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

Open

Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

Go to topic

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
Play
Space Safety

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

01/04/2025 204 views 1 likes
Play
Story
Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 9319 views 26 likes
Read
Image
Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4465 views 86 likes
Hera Mars flyby
View
Focus on
Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

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

Open

Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

Go to topic

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: The shrinking Aral Sea

04/04/2025 1743 views 33 likes
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission shows us what is left of the Aral Sea, once the fourth largest lake in the world.
View
Story
Earth Observation Excellence Award 2025
Applications

Earth Observation Excellence Award 2025 winners

03/04/2025 826 views 5 likes
Read
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

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

20/11/2024 1873 views 20 likes
Play
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 4063 views
Open
Focus on
ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

Register for Φ-week

Open

Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

Go to topic

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

Image
Enabling & Support

Firing up HENON’s engine

03/04/2025 787 views 17 likes
Firing up HENON’s engine
View
Story
Spectrum liftoff
Enabling & Support

Spectrum takes flight and clears the launch pad

30/03/2025 4697 views 68 likes
Read
Video 00:02:27
Play
Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3178 views 64 likes
Play
Focus on
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

Open
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 2430 views
Open
Science & Exploration

ESA makes the Sun available to everyone

14/12/2010 4504 views 8 likes
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science

JHelioviewer can be downloaded from here and will work on Mac, PC or Linux machines. A basic handbook to get users started is available here.

For more information:

More information about this story can be found on ESA's Science and technology website.

Contact details:

Markus Bauer
ESA Science and Robotic Exploration Communication Officer
Email: markus.bauer@esa.int
Tel: +31 71 565 6799
Mob: +31 61 594 3 954

Daniel Müller
ESA Solar Orbiter/SOHO Deputy Project Scientist
Email: Daniel.Mueller@esa.int
Tel: +31 71 565 4033

Related Links

Story
Science & Exploration

SOHO overview

01/01/1970 63257 views
Open item
Focus On
Science & Exploration

SOHO 10-year special

01/01/1970 1336 views
Open item
Focus on

Download JHelioviewer

Open
Story
Comet Lovejoy seen by SOHO
Science & Exploration

The beginning of the end for comet Lovejoy

14/12/2011 4432 views 3 likes
Read
Story
Science & Exploration

ESA makes the Sun available to everyone

14/12/2010 15691 views 58 likes
Read
Story
Science & Exploration

The Sun comes back to life

30/03/2010 3112 views 7 likes
Read
Story
Solar flare caught by SOHO
Science & Exploration

Solar flares set the Sun quaking

18/04/2008 3970 views 3 likes
Read
Story
Old cycle spots
Science & Exploration

Old solar cycle returns

31/03/2008 3534 views 3 likes
Read
Story
Two solar blasts mark the start of new solar cycle
Science & Exploration

SOHO: the new solar cycle starts with a ‘bang’

14/01/2008 4215 views 3 likes
Read
Story
The solar corona during an extreme solar event
Science & Exploration

SOHO data used for real-time space radiation forecasting

13/02/2008 3838 views 2 likes
Read
Story
The Sun over one solar cycle
Science & Exploration

SOHO - keeping an eye on the Sun for 12 years

04/12/2007 6238 views 4 likes
Read
Story
SOHO's new catch: P/2007 R5
Science & Exploration

SOHO's new catch: its first officially periodic comet

25/09/2007 3853 views 4 likes
Read
Story
An artist's impression of SOHO
Science & Exploration

Has SOHO ended a 30-year quest for solar ripples?

03/05/2007 2136 views 2 likes
Read
Story
Track of comet McNaught through SOHO's coronagraph LASCO C3
Science & Exploration

SOHO prepares for comet McNaught

11/01/2007 4440 views 6 likes
Read
Story
SOHO's image of the Sun
Science & Exploration

ESA’s SOHO will lead a fleet of solar observatories

24/05/2006 2613 views 1 likes
Read
Story
Animation showing far-side imaging of the Sun
Science & Exploration

Nowhere to hide from SOHO

10/03/2006 1178 views 6 likes
Read
Story
SOHO's components
Science & Exploration

How we see the far side of the Sun

18/11/2003 7165 views 19 likes
Read
Story
Science & Exploration

What are solar flares?

204302 views 896 likes
Read
Story
Sun-Earth day events
Science & Exploration

How the Sun affects us on Earth

26/06/2003 36405 views 221 likes
Read
Focus on

Related SOHO hotshot

Open