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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ESA astronaut André Kuipers, from The Netherlands, sits at the controls of the Toru manual docking system in the mockup of Russia's Zvezda service module of the International Space Station (ISS) at the Gagarin Training Center, also known as Zviezdny Gorodok ("Star City"), near Moscow, in January 2003, during training as member of the back-up crew for the Cervantes mission to the ISS and of the prime crew for the following flight.