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 22 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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Photo of GOCE reentering the atmosphere taken by Bill Chater in the Falklands at 21:20 local time on 11 November. Posted on Twitter, Bill wrote, “Driving southwards at dusk, it appeared with bright smoke trail and split in 2 before splitting again into more and going on north.”
After more than four years mapping Earth’s gravity with unrivalled precision, the GOCE mission came to a natural end when it ran out of fuel on 21 October.