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 topicAn animated sequence of MARSIS ionograms (typical products of MARSIS radar sounding of the ionosphere), covering an entire pericentre pass on 14 August 2005. MARSIS detects electron cyclotron echoes, and derives the related frequency. This depends on the magnitude of the surrounding magnetic field. When the spacecraft passes over areas of higher magnetic field strength, the frequency changes. In this animation, we can hear it in the form of changing sound.