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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NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in November 2007, in preparation for the STS-122 space shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Atlantis is shrouded by the launch pad. The European Columbus laboratory sits inside Atlantis' payload bay awaiting its ride to the Space Station where it will connected to the starboard port of the Node 2 module, also known as Harmony.