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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Plumes of icy material extend above the southern polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus as imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in February 2005.
Images like these are being analysed by scientists as they seek to explain the processes that could be producing such incredible features. Scientists believe that the plumes are geysers erupting from pressurised sub-surface reservoirs of liquid water above 273K (0°C).
This clear-filter image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera at a distance of approximately 321 000 kilometres from Enceladus. The image scale is approximately 1.8 kilometres per pixel.