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
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
A base view of the Descent Module, installed in ground support equipment with additional wiring of temperature sensors for testing. The many rivetted plates around the periphery are the spin vanes, small angled 'winglets' that will turn the DM at 1-20 rev./min. as it descends. The two smaller circular inserts near the dome's centre are the gas inlets for the Aerosol Collector Pyrolyser and Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer. Inside the largest circular aperture are the Surface Sensor Package's sensors. [Image Date: 01-01-97] [97.05.006-002]