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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Thomas Reiter (DE) flew on Soyuz TM-22 to the Mir space station for ESA's Euromir 95 mission, between September 1995 and February 1996. During his 179 days aboard Mir, he carried out two spacewalks and became the first ESA (and German) astronaut to perform a spacewalk. He served as Flight Engineer alongside Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Avdeyev.