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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Of all ESA establishments, ESTEC is the largest, with around 2700 personnel. This is where ESA missions are conceived then guided through development, and work on new technology is coordinated.
When ESTEC was constructed in the early 1960s, foundations 25 metres deep were sunk to ensure sufficient stability for precision engineering tests. Even so, modern test instruments used in ESTEC laboratories are so sensitive that the tides of the nearby North Sea can be detected.