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 topic
Backdropped against the blue and white
Earth and sporting a readily visible new
addition in the form of the Canadarm2 or
space station robotic arm, the International
Space Station (ISS) was photographed
following separation from the Space Shuttle
Endeavour. With six astronauts and a
Rosaviakosmos cosmonaut aboard the
shuttle, the spacecraft performed a
fly-around survey of the station, which was
inhabited by two astronauts and a Russian
cosmonaut. The image was recorded with a
digital still camera. (Photo: NASA)