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 Astronaut Pierre Haignere. ESA is in the process of creating a single European astronaut corps by merging existing national astronaut programmes with the ESA programme. A number of new astronauts are also being selected. The goal is to have a total of 16 astronauts by mid-2000 in order to meet the demand for European astronauts as the ISS is assembled and onboard research begins. At the time this photograph was taken at ESA's Paris headquarters, the European corps comprised 12 astronauts [Image Date: 1998/09] [98.10.004-011]