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 topicThis artist's impression of the fly-by spacecraft releasing the impactor, 24 hours before the impact event. Pictured from left to right are Comet 9P/Tempel 1, the impactor and the fly-by spacecraft. The impactor is a 370-kilogram mass with an on-board guidance system. The fly-by spacecraft includes a solar panel (right), a high-gain antenna (top), a debris shield (left, background) and science instruments for high and medium resolution imaging, infrared spectroscopy and optical navigation (yellow box and cylinder, lower left).
The fly-by spacecraft is about 3.2 metres long, 1.7 metres wide and 2.3 metres high. The launch payload has a mass of 1020 kilograms.