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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An artist’s impression of the Philae lander descending onto the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. While Rosetta studies the comet from close orbit, the lander Philae will obtain measurements from the nucleus surface.
Immediately after touchdown in November 2014, a harpoon will be fired to anchor the lander to the ground and prevent it escaping from the comet’s extremely weak gravity. The minimum targeted mission time for Philae is one week, but surface operations may continue for many months. The measurements from the Rosetta orbiter will last from August 2014 to the end of 2015.