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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Comparing imagery from ESA's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and 1983's IRAS infrared survey satellite.The lower right picture shows an IRAS map at a wavelength of 12 microns. The left image is ISOCAM's map at a wavelength of 15 microns, with its superior sensitivity and angular resolution, of the outlined box. This represents a small part of the data from this one programme to map some of the fainter and less well-known regions of our own Galaxy. [Image Date: 1996] [97.01.001-003]