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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This picture was taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard ESA's Mars Express orbiter, in colour and 3D, in orbit 32 on 19 January 2004. It shows a three-dimensional oblique view of the summit caldera of Albor Tholus, a volcano in the Elysium region. The caldera has a diameter of 30 km and a depth of 3 km. The volcano as a whole has a diameter of 160 km and a height of 4.5 km. This is geologically interesting, since the depth of the caldera approaches the height of the volcano, which is unusual on Earth. On the far left rim of the caldera, a bright 'dust fall' seems to flow from the surrounding plateau into the caldera.