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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View of the Process Chamber and Furnace for ESA's Advanced Gradient Heating Facility (AGHF). Protruding is the experiment cartridge. AGHF flew aboard the Life & Microgravity Sciences (LMS) Spacelab mission (STS-78) in June 1996 for materials processing experiments. At top is the electronics module (with the control and monitoring panel); centre is the core facility (the wheel-like feature is the 'locking cartridge', which protects the internal furnace during handling and launch/landing); bottom is the gas storage module. [Image Date: 1996] [98.04.012-001]