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 topicThis image, taken with the Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC) on board ESA’s Venus Express shows a wave train in the clouds at mid-latitudes (centred at 52º north, 194º west ( or -166º east). The typical wavelength (span) of these waves is a few tens of kilometres.
This image was taken on 24 May 2006, from a distance of 1000 km from the surface of Venus in the ultraviolet, at 365 nanometres.