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 22 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
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
The way in to ESA’s technical heart – set to be visited by thousands of members of the public during the Sunday 4 October ESTEC Open Day.
Nearly 3000 people work at ESTEC, ESA’s single largest establishment, which has been in the business of technology development in support of space missions for half a century now.
The flags of ESA’s Member States flutter ahead of the establishment’s main building. Note the full-scale model of the 1991-launched radar Earth observation mission ERS-1, at the right.
ESTEC hosts specialist teams skilled in every aspect of the space environment, a suite of technical laboratories, a centre for human spaceflight and the biggest spacecraft testing facility in Europe.
Want to see Europe’s largest place for yourself? Find more details and how to register here.