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 topicIn late 2003 and early 2004 Chinese and European engineers worked together for the first time on satellite navigation demonstrations, using a temporary regional ground network of European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) stations. This notably allowed dynamic tests on the Yangtze river, which showed very good availability and accuracy of the EGNOS test bed signals and that satellite navigation could improve safety for waterway navigation in China.