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 shows us a very rare, cloud-free view of Iceland. The large, white area is a national park that encompasses the Vatna Glacier – Europe’s largest – and surrounding land.
The white circular patch in the centre of the country is Hofsjokull, the country’s third largest glacier and its largest active volcano. The elongated white area west of Hofsjokull is Langjokull, Iceland’s second largest glacier.
In the surrounding water, blue and green swirls of phytoplankton are visible.
This image was acquired on 21 July 2010 by Envisat's Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS).