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!
ESA's six new astronauts.
During this selection round, more than 22 000 Europeans expressed interest in becoming astronauts, including 5500 serious candidates.
Six candidates were finally selected, including only one previously selected national astronaut: Jean-Francois Clervoy, the first French member of the Corps (front row right). Also selected were the second German astronaut, Thomas Reiter (back row centre), Maurizio Cheli (front row left) from Italy (resigned in 1996), Pedro Duque (back row right) from Spain, Christer Fuglesang (back row left) from Sweden and the first woman, Marianne Merchez (front row centre) from Belgium who has since resigned and did not fly.