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 topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
ISS020-S-002A (31 Oct. 2008) --- Expedition 20 crewmembers take a break from training at NASA's Johnson Space Center to pose for a crew portrait.
From the right (front row) are cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, Expedition 19/20 commander; and ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, Expedition 20 flight engineer and Expedition 21 commander. From the left (back row) are NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 19/20 flight engineer; Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk, Expedition 20/21 flight engineer; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, 18/19/20 flight engineer; and cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, Expedition 20/21 flight engineer.