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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On 4 October 1957, Sputnik 1 was successfully launched and entered Earth's orbit. Thus, began the 'space age'. The launch shocked the world, giving the former Soviet Union the distinction of putting the first human-made object into space. The word 'Sputnik' originally meant 'fellow traveler,' but has become synonymous with 'satellite' in modern Russian.
This historic image shows a technician putting the finishing touches on Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. The pressurised sphere made of aluminium alloy had five primary scientific objectives: to test the method of placing an artificial satellite into Earth orbit; to provide information on the density of the atmosphere by calculating its lifetime in orbit; to test radio and optical methods of orbital tracking; determine the effects of radio wave propagation through the atmosphere; and to check principles of pressurisation used in satellites.