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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Artist's view of an Ariane 5G launch vehicle showing its main components. The generic version of the Ariane 5 family of launchers, the Ariane 5G can lift up to 6.7 tonnes of payload into geostationary transfer orbit. The first commerical flight of an Ariane 5G took place in December 1999 when it placed ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatory into a highly elliptical orbit.
The Ariane 5G can carry a wide range of payloads to all kinds of orbits. Payloads include satellites, space probes, Sun-synchronous Earth observation platforms and Autonomous Transfer Vehicles for resupply and reboost missions to the International Space Station.