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
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SEP's PPS-1350 70mN Hall-effect plasma thruster has been selected to propel ESA's SMART-1 mission. SMART-1 is the first of the Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology of ESA's Horizons 2000 Science plan. Its main mission objective is to demonstrate innovative and key technologies for deep-space scientific missions. One key technology is the use of solar electric propulsion as primary propulsion. It is a first for Europe and paves the way for future missions with large velocity requirements, such as a Mercury orbiter. [Image Date: 1999/05] [99.05.004-002]