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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The giant planets and beyond
Beyond the orbit of Mars and the asteroid belt lie the gaseous planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto is now recognized as the largest of a family of dwarf planets that lie beyond Neptune’s orbit.
Today only Jupiter and Saturn have been explored in any depth. Indeed new technologies are needed to travel to the other giant planets in the far-flung regions of the Solar System.
It is highly improbable that forms of life exist on such inhospitable planets. However, a presence of water or methane in liquid form as indicated on some of Jupiter and Saturn’s moons, Europa, Titan and Enceladus, would provide suitable conditions for biological activity.