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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Outside their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the Expedition 36/37 prime and backup crew members conducted the traditional raising of flags of their countries and host country Kazakhstan, 18 May, 2013, as they prepare for the launch of NASA Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg, Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency May 29, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft to begin a six-month mission on the International Space Station.
Hoisting the flags of Russia, the U.S., Italy and Kazakhstan from left to right are Yurchikhin, backup Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin, Nyberg, backup NASA Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio, Parmitano and backup Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.