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 topicThis animation shows the mean tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations as observed by the GOME-2 instrument on MetOp over Beijing between 8 August and 17 September for 2007 and 2008. As visible, the high NO2 concentration over Beijing was strongly reduced in 2008 as compared to 2007 as a result of the intensive air quality measures taken during the Olympic Games. NO2 concentrations in nearby cities Tianjin (110 km from Beijing) and Shijiazhuang (250 km away) persisted.
The MetOp satellite was developed by ESA in cooperation with EUMETSAT.