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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The eleventh Ariane 5G climbs into the black sky of French Guiana, heading North over the Atlantic Ocean shortly after its perfect liftoff from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport, on 1 March 2002.
On this first flight toward a Sun-synchronous polar orbit, Ariane 5 successfully lofted ESA's Envisat polar platform into orbit.
The 8111 kg Envisat, largest and most sophisticated spacecraft ever built in Europe is dedicated to environmental monitoring and carries 10 main instruments to probe the Earth's atmosphere, lands and oceans.