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!
On 19 December, ESA's Gaia satellite will be launched on Soyuz Flight VS06 from the European spaceport in French Guiana.
Pictured here is the Soyuz launch vehicle's Block I third stage being mated to the launcher in the MIK integration building. This building, used for horizontal assembly of the rocket and located 700 metres from the pad, is equipped with two traveling cranes for handling launcher segments, along with a rail system for the movement and integration of the stages.
Once the integrated launcher has been checked it will be transferred to the launch pad where the Gaia satellite and the Fregat upper stage will be installed.