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
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
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ESA's European Retrievable Carrier (Eureca) seen during deployment from Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-46) on 2 August 1992.
This 4.5-tonne satellite with 15 experiments was an ESA mission and built by the German MBB-ERNO company. It was deployed from the Shuttle's cargo bay and put into orbit at an altitude of 508 km, and was retrieved on 1 July 1993 by STS-57 and returned to Earth.