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 topicArtist’s impression (left to right): Ariane 5, Vega, Vega-C, Ariane 62, Ariane 64, Space Rider.
Europe’s Ariane 5 and Vega launch vehicles currently operate from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, in the northeast of South America providing Europe with continued independent and autonomous access to space.
New space transportation vehicles are being developed.
Vega-C is capable of a wide range of missions and through a range of payload carriers it can place one or multiple payloads up to 2.3 tonnes into orbit on a single flight. It replaces Vega.
Ariane 6 is Europe’s next-generation launch vehicle capable of delivering payloads of around 21 tonnes into low-Earth orbit. Ariane 6 has two versions – A62 and A64 – combining strength and versatility to place one or multiple satellites into any orbit. It is Europe's largest rocket yet at over 60 metres tall.
Space Rider is a reusable lifting body. Launched unmanned on Vega-C, it can stay in low-Earth orbit for more than two months, providing a platform for a range of experiments and demonstrations in microgravity. After each mission it will return to Earth to land on ground to return its cargo before minimal refurbishment for its next mission.
Rockets are the backbone of all space-based endeavours. ESA in partnership with industry is developing next-generation space transportation vehicles, Ariane 6, Vega-C, and Space Rider. At Space19+, ESA will propose further enhancements to these programmes and introduce new ideas to help Europe work together to build a robust space transportation economy. This week, take a look at what ESA is doing to ensure continued autonomous access to space for Europe and join the conversation online by following the hashtag #RocketWeek