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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ESA's ERS-1 observation satellite was launched in 1991, followed by its twin ERS-2 in 1995. The ERS mission ended on 5 September 2011 when ERS-2 was safely taken out of service.
These pioneering satellites have provided the basis for the routine remote sensing we have come to rely upon to unravel the complexities of the way Earth works. The success of the ERS mission has helped Europe to gain clear leadership in several critical technologies and in the scientific use of Earth observation.
During their lifetime, ERS data supported over 5000 projects producing some 4000 scientific publications. Archived data still to this day provide us with a wealth of information and are maintained accessible and continuously improved in the frame of the Heritage Space Programme to build long-term data series with successor missions including Envisat, ESA's family of Earth Explorers and the Copernicus Sentinels.