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 topic21.09.02. Preparations for Integral launch from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, scheduled for 17 October 2002. There are normally two test conductors on duty. Martin Gittins, on the left, is the point of contact with the operators in SCAPE, the other test conductor (missing, on the right, on a 4 minute management break) records and processes the data. Here Martin Gittins can be seen controlling fuelling operations on the monitors.