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 topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
Expedition 38/39 crew arrives at the Baikonur airport in Kazakhstan 26 October 2013 after flying from their training base at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Russia.
ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst (left), cosmonaut Maxim Surayev (centre) and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman went to Baikonur as Expedition 38/39 backup crew to see the launch of the prime crew.
Alexander, Maxim and Reid then became the prime crew for Expedition 40/41, set for its own mission to the Space Station in May 2014.