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
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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 Herschel telescope is a classic Cassegrain design with a 3.5-metre primary mirror and the secondary mirror. The manufacture, alignment and optical characterisation down to operational temperatures (70 K or -203 ºC) was completed in September 2006.
The telescope is now stored in the Astrium facilities in Toulouse waiting for integration to the Herschel satellite.