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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CryoSat is one of ESA’s Earth Explorer satellites, research missions dedicated to specific aspects of our atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and the Earth’s interior.
ESA’s Earth Explorers are a series of research-oriented missions in direct response to issues identified by the scientific community, to improve our understanding of how the Earth system works and the impact that human activity is having on natural Earth processes.
Six current missions are studying the gravity field, soil moisture and ocean salinity, atmospheric dynamics, the magnetic field and the interaction between clouds, aerosols and radiation Earth Explorers are also designed to demonstrate breakthrough technology in observing techniques.