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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Installation of the Multi-Layer Insulation blankets on Huygens' Front Shield. The insulation provides thermal protection during the 7-year journey with Cassini, via Venus, Earth and Jupiter, to Saturn, and during the 22-day coast phase after separation from Cassini before entering Titan's atmosphere. The intense aerothermodynamic heating of entry will rapidly destroy the MLI, and the 20 mm-thick sponge-textured brown tiles will insulate the carbon fibre internal structure and the Descent Module from the intense radiation of the hypersonic shock wave. The variation of tile colours, caused by the baking process in manufacturing, has no effect on the thermal properties. The white part consists of painted aluminium plates glued on to the tiles as a small, controlled heat leak to fine-tune the thermal design for optimum internal temperatures during cruise. [Image Date: 01-03-97] [97.03.001-007]