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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CNES astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien (FR) became the first non-American and non-Soviet cosmonaut to walk in space during the Soyuz TM-7 'Aragatz' mission in November 1988. Making his second spaceflight, he flew as a Research Cosmonaut with Alexander Volkov and Sergei Krikalev and spent 22 days on the Mir space station. He was also the first non-Soviet cosmonaut to make a second spaceflight aboard a Soviet spacecraft.