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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This picture was taken on 11 April 2008 at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), in the Netherlands, during the mounting of the solar array of the Herschel spacecraft.
The array is shaped around the central cryostat to provide both extended shielding of the cryostat from the sun and the electrical power needed for the mission. The solar array provides the spacecraft with 1900 W of power.