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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This Envisat image captures ice covering parts of the Gulf of Bothnia (top), the Gulf of Finland (middle right) and the Gulf of Riga (bottom right) last week. At the time this image was acquired - 19 April 2011 - there was ice as thick as 50-80 cm in the northern part of the Bay of Bothnia off Finland’s western coast. The central and southern Bay of Bothnia was reported to have ice cover as thick as 30–70 cm.
Visible in the image (clockwise from bottom left) are parts of Sweden, Finland (top right), Russia (top and centre left), Estonia and Latvia (bottom right). The Swedish islands of Öland and Gotland are visible at the bottom.