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 Earth is only intermittently visible from the Plaskett crater rim on the Moon. This makes it an ideal place to test the kind of autonomous manned base that will be needed on Mars. For most of the time, the astronauts will be deprived a view of their home planet.
The above is a view from Clementine of the full Earth over the lunar north pole. The crater with a central peak in the foreground is Plaskett. It is centred at 82.1° North and 174° East, and it is 109 kilometres in diameter. On Earth, Africa is clearly visible and nearly cloud free.