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 topicThe MetOp series of three satellites will be Europe's first polar-orbiting missions dedicated to operational meteorology and represents the European commitment to a new venture with the United States. They will be launched sequentially providing data until at least 2020. The first, MetOp-A, is due for launch 17 October 2006 on a Soyuz/ST Fregat rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.