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 Large Space Simulator mirror at the ESTEC Test Centre is used to reflect sunlight from the Solar Simulator during thermal vacuum tests. It is made up of 121 hexagonal segments which had to be individually reoriented to produce a much tighter beam for simulating the 10 solar constants experienced in the vicinity of Sun-scorched Mercury.