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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Don Quijote was a double-satellite mission proposal to study the deflection method of planetary defence, with an impactor spacecraft and a second observer spacecraft for the in-situ study of the internal structure and momentum transfer. It was under study by ESA in the mid-2000s. The concept subsequently evolved into NASA's DART and ESA's Hera missions.