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!
Europe has decided to implement a satellite-based navigation system in a two-step approach. The first step will lead to a European overlay navigation system (EGNOS) using the two existing navigation satellite constellations (GPS and Glonass); this system is already contracted to industry and test operations have started. The second step (Galileo) is intended to enable Europe to become a major partner in the setting up of a civilian satellite service around 2008. This service will meet worldwide the multimodal navigation requirements and can operate either autonomously or together with other systems. Aeronautical, maritime and land mobile users will greatly benefit from the service.