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!
PTB's BMSR-2 is equipped with superconducting measuring systems cooled by liquid helium to within four degrees of absolute zero to attain the extreme sensitivity required. Such ‘Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices’ (SQUIDs) were vital to establish the magnetic moments of the LISA Pathfinder test masses, which turned out to close to a thousand times lower than a standard, supposedly non-magnetic stainless steel screw.