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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Planck will separate from the launcher about 30 minutes after launch, a couple of minutes after Herschel. The two spacecraft
will independently head towards their respective orbits the second Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system (L2), some 1.5
million km from Earth in the direction opposite to the Sun. It will take about 60 days for satellites to enter their operational
orbits.