ESA historical publications
This is a collection of past publications from ESA, concerning our history or generally of historical interest. This collection is a work in progress and more publications will be added over time. All publications are downloadable PDFs. Many documents have been scanned from old copies and the quality is therefore variable.
History study reports
The ESA History Study Reports started as preliminary reports of studies carried out to form the basis of a comprehensive study of European space activities from 1959–87, eventually published as ESA SP-1235.
The series continued with issues covering space activities in each of our Member States.
- HSR-40: A Short History of Irish Space Activities
- HSR-39: A Short History of Swedish Space Activities
- HSR-38: The History of Sounding Rockets and Their Contribution to European Space Research
- HSR-37: La France dans L'Espace 1959 - 1979 - Contribution à l'effort spatial européen
- HSR-36: An Overview of United Kingdom Space Activity 1957-1987
- HSR-35: Norwegian Space Activities: 1958 – 2003, A Historical Overview
- HSR-34: Austria's History in Space
- HSR-33: ESRO/ESA and Denmark, Participation by Research and Industry
- HSR-32: Finland and the Space Era
- HSR-31: Switzerland in Space, a brief history
- HSR-30: Italy in Space 1946 – 1988
- HSR-29: Belgium's participation in the European space adventure
- HSR-28: The "Triple Helix" of Space. German Space Activities in a European Perspective
- HSR-27: An Overview of Space Activities in the Netherlands
- HSR-26: Spain in Space. A short history of Spanish activity in the space sector
- HSR-25: Canada and the European Space Agency. Three Decades of Cooperation
- HSR-24: ESA's Scientific Programme Towards the Turn of the Century
- HSR-23: The Third Phase of the Telecommunications Programme: ECS, Marecs and Olympus
- HSR-22: The European Meteorological Satellite Programme
- HSR-21: Spacelab in context
- HSR-20: The Definition of ESA's Scientific Programme for the 1980's
- HSR-19: Big Technology, Little Science - The European Use of Spacelab
- HSR-18: The Availability of American Launchers and Europe's Decision 'To Go It Alone'
- HSR-17: The Aeronautical Satellite System: an example of international bargaining
- HSR-16: The scientific programme between ESRO and ESA: Choosing new projects (1973 – 1977)
- HSR-15: United States – European space cooperation in the post-Apollo programme
- HSR-14: United States – European cooperation in space during the sixties
- HSR-13: ESRO's Telecommunications Programme and the OTS Project (1970-1974)
- HSR-12: The Origins of the Federal Republic of Germany's Space Policy in 1959-1965 – European and National Dimensions
- HSR-11: Reflections on Europe in Space
- HSR-10: The History of ELDO Part 1: 1961-1964
- HSR-9: The early development of the Telecommunications Satellite Programme in ESRO (1965-1971)
- HSR-8: Europe into Space: The Auger Years (1959 - 1967)
- HSR-7: The Launch of ELDO
- HSR-6: The definition of a scientific policy: ESRO's satellite programme in 1969 - 1973
- HSR-5: Europe in Space: Edoardo Amaldi and the inception of ESRO
- HSR-4: The early activities of the COPERS and the drafting of the ESRO Convention (1961/62)
- HSR-Special: Science beyond the atmosphere: The history of space research in Europe (symposium proceedings)
- HSR-3: Choosing ESRO's First Scientific Satellites
- HSR-2: ESRO's First Scientific Satellite Programme 1961-1966
- HSR-1: The Prehistory of ESRO 1959/60
Monographs
The SP-xxxx series of monographs (known as 4-digit SPs) consists primarily of scientific and technical books giving detailed information on ESA’s missions, activities and interests. They are authored by highly-respected experts in their fields. The series also covers other substantial content such as historical books.
- SP-1337: ESA Convention and Council Rules of Procedure
- SP-1329 vol.II: ESA's Living Planet Programme: Scientific Achievements and Future Challenges
- SP-1326: ERS Missions: 20 Years of Observing Earth
- SP-1265 (EN & FR): Peter Creola, Advocate of Space
- SP-1261 Switzerland, Europe and Space – Adventure and Imperative
- SP-1248: Sweden in Space
- SP-1235 vol.I: A History of ESA, 1958-87 Vol.1
- SP-1235 vol.II: A History of ESA, 1958-87 Vol.2
- SP-1172: Europe in Space 1960-1973
- SP-1060 (EN & FR): Europe two decades in space 1964-1984
- SP-1013: Achievements of ESA Scientific Satellites 1968-1978
Brochures
The BR series of brochures highlights specific missions and programmes in non-technical terms for the space-interested public and the media. For a more complete collection of BRs, see the brochures archive.
- BR-306: The ESA effect
- BR-299: Commemorative colloquium in honour of George P. Van Reeth (1924-2010)
- BR-294: The ESA history project
- BR-272: Cooperating for Success: 200 Meetings of the ESA Council 1975–2008
- BR-252: ESAC The European Space Astronomy Centre - ESA’s Window on the Universe (2007)
- BR-250 (3rd ed.): ESA Achievements (3rd edition) – More than thirty years of pioneering space activity
- BR-160: Europe and Canada – Partners in Space/L’Europe et le Canada – Partenaires dans l’espace (2000)
- BR-139: The Archives of the European Space Agency – A Snapshot (1998)
- BR-135: 40 years of COSPAR (1998)
- BR-130: The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) – Past and Present Achievements (1998)
- BR-113 (ES): Bienvenido Vilspa
- BR-112 (EN): Beyond this world – Scientific missions of the European Space Agency (1995)
- BR-112/FR: Au-dela de la Terre: Les missions scientifiques de l'Agence spatiale européenne (1995)
- BR-110: ESOC European Space Operations Centre (2001)
- BR-107: EuroMir 95 – Missions to Space with Russia (1995)
- BR-106: EuroMir 94 – Missions to Space with Russia (1994)
- BR-101: A Moon Programme: The European View (1994)
- BR-090: 25 years of ESOC (1992)
- BR-086 (EN): European Space… for exclusively peaceful purposes (1992)
- BR-086 (FR): L’espace européen… à des fins exclusivement pacifiques (1992)
- Agenzia spaziale europea (~1984)
- BR-79 (EN): Partnership in Space – An introduction to Canada’s special relationship with the European Space Agency (1991)
- BR-79 (FR): Partenariat dans l’espace – Le Canada et l’Agence spatiale européenne (1991)
- BR-066: Some personal reminiscences – The ESRO-ESA Space Science Story – Twenty-five years of European cooperation (1990)
- BR-61 (EN): Working for space – 1988 social report (1988)
- BR-61 (FR): Au service de l’espace – Rapport social 1988 (1988)
- BR-058: ESRIN (1989)
Promotional documents
The following documents were not formal ESA publications, but rather were issued by ESA Public Relations to celebrate various anniversaries or events.
- Europe in space (ESRO) (1974)
- Space-part of Europe’s environment (1979)
- Europe’s place in space (1981)
- L’Europe et l’espace - Bref aperçu des programmes europeens, nationaux et en cooperation (1982)
- Europe into space (1983)
- 20 years of european cooperation in space (1984)
- Forward to the Future (1985)
- L'espace au Futur (1985)
- European Space, A Silver Jubilee Celebration 1964–1989 (1989)
- Space for our future - Boosting Europe's competitiveness and growth (2014)
Establishment brochures
Nowadays we celebrate being “One ESA”, but ESA consists of a number of establishments across our Member States. Over the years the various establishments have issued brochures, which give us a fascinating insight into how ESA has grown and evolved.
EAC – the European Astronaut Centre, in Germany
ESAC – the European Space Astronomy Centre, in Spain
- A Spanish window on the universe (1987)
- Una ventana Espanola en el universo (1987)
- BR-081/EN: Spain – Success story in space (1992)
- BR-081/ES: Espana en el espacio – Hacia la conquista de nuevas fronteras (1992)
- BR-207/ES: VILSPA (2003)
- BR-252/ES: ESAC – The European Space Astronomy Centre (2007)
ESEC – the European Space Security and Education Centre, in Belgium
- F-21 (Vlaams): Twee Richtingsverkeer – Het verhaal van het ESA Satelliet Control Station, Redu, België (1988)
- BR-140: At your service – In-Orbit Test Facilities for Communication Satellites at Redu, Belgium (1999)
ESOC – the European Space Operations Centre, in Germany
- ESA ESOC European Space Operations Centre (~1986)
- F-15/EN: The European Space Operations Centre (1988)
- F-15/FR: Le Centre européen d’opérations spatiales (1988)
- BR-088/EN: European Space Operations Directorate… constant vigil (1993)
- BR-088/DE: ESOC – Europaïsche Raumflugleitung… auf standiger Wacht (1995)
- ESOC – The voyage into space (2001)
- ESOC – Das Tor zum Weltraum (2001)
- ESOC – Voyage dans l’Universe (2001)
- Europas tor zum weltraum (~2004)
- Europe’s link to space (~2004)
- BR-265/EN: ESOC (2007)
- BR-265/DE: ESOC - Europas satellitenkontrollzentrum (2008)
- European Space Operations Centre/EN (2010)
- European Space Operations Centre/DE (2010)
ESRIN – the ESA Centre for Earth Observation, in Italy
- BR-089/IT: ESRIN – Il Centro ESA in Italia (1994)
- BR-089/EN: ESRIN – ESA’s Data Handling Centre in Italy (1994)
- ESRIN (1999)
ESTEC – the European Space Research and Technology Centre, in the Netherlands
- estec/NL (1979)
- Estec – the european space research and technology centre (1987)
- F-02: To last a lifetime – the ESTEC Test Centre (~1988)
- Welcome to Estec/Bienvenue a l’Estec (1995)
- BR-273: ESA’s Technical Heart (2008)
- ESIC – the European Space Innovation Centre
Europe’s Spaceport, in French Guiana
HQ – ESA Headquarters
- Future siege de l’Agence spatiale europeenne/Future headquarters of the European Space Agency (1976)
Tracking stations
- Santa Maria ESA Tracking Station/EN/ES (2008)
- Europe’s Access to Deep Space – The Deep Space Ground Station in Australia (~2002)
- ESTRACK/EN – ESA’s Deep-space tracking network (2012)
- ESTRACK/ES – Red de estaciones para el espacio profundo (2012)
- Europe’s Access to Deep Space – The Deep Space Ground Station in Spain (~2005)