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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ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst taken by his crewmate NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman as they train for their six-month mission to the International Space Station starting in May.
Reid Tweeted this message with the image: “Lucky photo! Helps when your subject is photogenic and his country’s flag is behind him.”
Alexander and Reid spend many hours training with spacesuits in swimming pools to recreate the feeling of weightlessness in orbit. The Space Station offers two types of spacesuits for working outside of the space laboratory – the Russian Orlan and the American spacesuit that Alex is wearing here.
Called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, the NASA spacesuit is nothing less than a miniature spacecraft that supplies oxygen and keeps astronauts at the right temperature. The suit provides protection against the vacuum of space and temperature differences of over 200°C as the Space Station passes from sunlight into the shadow of Earth 16 times each day.
Alexander is flight engineer for Expedition 40/41, which will be launched to the Station in May 2014 on a long-duration mission to run science experiments and maintain humankind’s space base.