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 volunteer is spending three weeks in bed with his body angled 6° below the horizontal at the head-end. He may not stand up unless an experiment demands it and must perform all daily activities in bed, including eating, showering and exercising.
What might seem like a paid holiday in bed requires many sacrifices from the volunteers. Not only are they expected to give up small pieces of their thigh muscles in regular biopsies, but they also have to remove themselves from their normal lives three times over the course of the year. During their time in bed, they cannot receive visitors and are expected to complete the session no matter what emergency at home.
Bedrest studies can answer questions on how our bodies adapt to living in space and adapt to growing old.