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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A cargo box under test for Airbus in the the hydraulic shaker test facility (Hydra) in ESA’s test centre at ESTEC (NL). The box was being thoroughly tested to monitor how it would react to a possible emergency landing, as part of a test campaign conducted for Airbus.
Hydra is a six-axes vibration test facility. This is special, since it allows simultaneous vibration in all translational and rotational directions. HYDRA is driven by eight hydraulic cylinders, each of them providing up to 630 kN force. A closed loop control system ensures optimised excitation according to the programmed test profile.