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
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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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ESA astronaut Tim Peake took this image from the International Space Station during his six-month Principia mission. He commented: "66 million years ago a 14-km wide asteroid struck this part of Mexico and wiped out the dinosaurs."
Professional photographer Max Alexander has known Tim Peake from before his launch into space and gave Tim photography tips during his mission. Max comments: "Tim really scored a bull's eye with this shot of the Yucatan Peninsula, which would have required quite a bit of planning for a favourable orbit. When 66 million years ago, a city-sized asteroid collided with the Earth, right in the middle of the photograph, it wiped out the dinosaurs and 75% of life on Earth. You can imagine an asteroid coming from space and hitting the Earth in this photograph. I asked Tim to take this picture while an offshore scientific expedition was drilling into the submerged impact crater, and also for Asteroid Day – an annual global event on June 30th that raises awareness about the threat of asteroids – which is in partnership with ESA. "
Follow Tim Peake via timpeake.esa.int