ESA Home About ESA Careers at ESA Space in Member States Science & Exploration Space Safety Applications Enabling & Support ESA Web TV Videos Images

About ESA

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.

Highlights

Careers
Business with ESA
Newsroom
Education
Kids
ESA Space Shop

ESA - United space in Europe

This is ESA ESA facts Member States & Cooperating States Funding Director General Top management For Member State Delegations European vision European Space Policy ESA & EU Space Councils Responsibility & Sustainability Annual Report Calendar of meetings Corporate news

Establishments & sites

ESA Headquarters ESA ESTEC ESA ESOC ESA ESRIN ESA EAC ESA ESAC Europe's Spaceport ESA ESEC ESA ECSAT Brussels Office Washington Office

Working with ESA

Business with ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Law at ESA Careers Cyber resilience at ESA IT at ESA Newsroom Partnerships Merchandising Licence Education Open Space Innovation Platform Integrity and Reporting Administrative Tribunal Health and Safety

More about ESA

History ESA Historical Archives Exhibitions Publications Art & Culture ESA Merchandise Kids Diversity ESA Brand Centre

Latest

Focus on
Close-up of Plato’s cameras

Week in images: 20-24 April 2026

Discover our week through the lens

Open
Story
Not your normal commute
Applications

Braving the Arctic for upcoming polar-focused satellites

24/04/2026 745 views 24 likes
Read
Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Cloud patterns over the Canary Islands

24/04/2026 2118 views 30 likes
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image highlights a distinctive cloud formation north of the Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Gomera.
View
Video 00:00:46
Play
Science & Exploration

A Saturday‑night dinner onboard the International Space Sta…

23/04/2026 639 views 35 likes
Play
Press Release N° 5–2026
Agency

Laurent Jaffart appointed Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity

The European Space Agency Council has approved the reassignment of Laurent Jaffart, currently Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications (D/CSC) to the newly created position of Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity Directorate (D/RNC), which will take effect from 1 February 2026.
30/01/2026 4133 views
Open

Space in Member States

Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.

Germany Germany Austria Austria Belgium Belgium Denmark Denmark Spain Spain Estonia Estonia Finland Finland France France Greece Greece Hungary Hungary Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Luxembourg Luxembourg Norway Norway The Netherlands The Netherlands Poland Poland Portugal Portugal Czechia Czechia Romania Romania United Kingdom United Kingdom Slovenia Slovenia Sweden Sweden Switzerland Switzerland

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

Go to topic

Programmes

Space Science Human and Robotic Exploration

Astronauts

Sophie Adenot
Pablo Álvarez Fernández
Rosemary Coogan
Samantha Cristoforetti
Alexander Gerst
Raphaël Liégeois
Matthias Maurer
Andreas Mogensen
Luca Parmitano
Thomas Pesquet
Marco Sieber

Missions

Juice Euclid Webb Solar Orbiter BepiColombo Gaia ExoMars Cheops Exoplanet missions More missions

Activities

International Space Station Orion service module Gateway Concordia Caves & Pangaea Benefits

Latest

Story
Smile delivered to space (artist impression, GIF)
Science & Exploration

Smile set to launch on 19 May

23/04/2026 2297 views 28 likes
Read
Image
Science & Exploration

Moon joy, Earth love

09/04/2026 5607 views 1150 likes
Orion and its European Service Module bringing the crew around the Moon and back to Earth
View
Video 00:01:16
Play
Science & Exploration

Plato passes vibe check

15/01/2026 3981 views 43 likes
Play
Press Release N° 49–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA 3D prints first metal part on the International Space Station

The first metal 3D printer in space, a collaboration between ESA and Airbus, has printed its first metal product on the International Space Station, a breakthrough in crew autonomy for future long-duration exploration missions.
06/09/2024 9931 views
Open
Focus on
Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

Open

Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

Go to topic

About space safety

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot Space Safety at ESA

Asteroids

Asteroids and Planetary Defence Asteroid danger explained Flyeye telescope: asteroid detection Hera mission: asteroid deflection Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre

Space junk

About space debris Space debris by the numbers Space Environment Report In space refuelling, refurbishing and removing

Safety from space

Clean Space Ecodesign Zero Debris Technologies Space for Earth Supporting Sustainable Development

Space weather

Space weather and its hazards ESA Vigil: providing solar warning ESA Space Weather Service Network

Latest

Story
ROSIE solar radio telescope
Space Safety

ESA funds Polish radio telescope to monitor solar outbursts

22/04/2026 283 views 10 likes
Read
Video 00:01:30
Play
Space Safety

Flyeye: ESA’s automated asteroid hunters

23/03/2026 1142 views 7 likes
Play
Image
Space Safety

Hera mission poster

17/03/2026 1841 views 20 likes
Hera mission poster
View
Focus on
Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

Webb will provide a more accurate estimate of the asteroid's size

Open

Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

Go to topic

Observing the Earth

Observing the Earth Future EO Copernicus Meteorology Space for our climate Satellite missions

Connectivity

Connectivity and Secure Communications ARTES Moonlight Civil security from space

Satellite navigation

Satellite navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis Celeste

Commercialisation

ESA Commercialisation Gateway Open Space Innovation Platform Business Incubation ESA Space Solutions

Latest

Story
Not your normal commute
Applications

Braving the Arctic for upcoming polar-focused satellites

24/04/2026 745 views 24 likes
Read
Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Cloud patterns over the Canary Islands

24/04/2026 2118 views 30 likes
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image highlights a distinctive cloud formation north of the Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Gomera.
View
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

ESA’s Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme

20/11/2024 8027 views 46 likes
Play
Press Release N° 1–2024
Applications

Media invitation: Last chance to see the EarthCARE cloud and aerosol satellite in Europe

On 1 February, media representatives have the unique opportunity of seeing  the EarthCARE satellite up close in the cleanroom at Airbus facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany, before the spacecraft is packed up and shipped to California, USA, for a launch scheduled in May.
11/01/2024 7672 views
Open
Focus on
ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

Register for Φ-week

Open

Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

Go to topic

Building missions

Space Engineering and Technology Test centre Laboratories Concurrent Design Facility Shaping the Future Discovery and Preparation Advanced Concepts Team ESA Young Professionals Satellites

Space transportation

Space Transportation Ariane Vega Space Rider Future space transportation Boost! Europe's Spaceport Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Story
Refilling in space with Odyssey
Enabling & Support

2026 first quarter: Future Launchers Preparatory Programme …

24/04/2026 439 views 7 likes
Read
Image
Enabling & Support

A new grip on space: electrostatic capture technology

23/04/2026 733 views 26 likes
A new grip on space: electrostatic capture technology
View
Video 00:02:27
Play
Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 6385 views 72 likes
Play
Focus on
Juice approaches Earth
Enabling & Support

Blog: Juice's lunar-Earth flyby

Follow for the latest updates as ESA's Jupiter mission swings through the Earth system this summer

Open
Press Release N° 8–2024
Enabling & Support

Call for interest: Ariane 6 launch media events at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending media events at Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, for the first flight of Europe's new rocket Ariane 6. Journalists wishing to participate in either or both the pre-launch and launch media programmes detailed below, are asked to submit their application via ESA’s media accreditation page by Friday 1 March 2024.
19/02/2024 8569 views
Open