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 topicA 1:4 scale model of the Rosetta lander at ILA2002. The Rosetta lander will study the composition and structure of a comet nucleus material, when landing on the comet in 2014. Measurement goals include the determination of the elemental, molecular, mineralogical, and isotopic composition of the comet's surface and subsurface material. Comets are believed to be the most primitive objects in the Solar System, holding many clues about our Sun and its planets.