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 topicThis figure shows the location of asteroid 2012 DA14 as seen from ESA's ESTEC Establishment in The Netherlands. From ESOC in Germany it would still be roughly in the same area. For ESRIN, close to Rome in Italy, the asteroid would appear about three lunar diameters to the left. The time marks are given in GMT.
The chart was prepared using the software Guide (http://www.projectpluto.com).