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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The Herschel spacecraft, packed in a huge container, is loaded onto the Antonov cargo plane that transported the satellite to Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The plane took off from Amsterdam’s airport (Schiphol), the Netherlands, on 11 February 2009 and arrived to destination in the early hours of 12 February 2009.