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!
ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli (IT) flew on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-120 to the ISS, spending 15 days in space in October 2007 during the Esperia mission. STS-120 delivered the Harmony Node-2 module and reconfigured a portion of the ISS in preparation for future assembly missions. Nespoli was accompanied by Scott Parazynski, Douglas Wheelock, Stephanie Wilson, George Zamka, Pamela Melroy and Daniel Tani.
The STS-120 patch was chosen by the crew and reflects the role of the mission in the future of the space programme. The Shuttle carries Node-2 and, on the left, the star represents the ISS; the red points represent the current location of the P6 solar array, furled and awaiting relocation when the crew arrives. The gold points represent the P6 solar array in its new location, unfurled and producing power for science and life support. On the right, the Moon and Mars can be seen representing the future of NASA. The constellation Orion rises in the background, symbolising NASA's new exploration vehicle.