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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A member of German Aerospace Center, DLR, medical team examines ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's eyes in the run-up to his Blue Dot mission on the International Space Station.
Results from studies conducted on other astronauts suggest that weightlessness has a negative effect on vision; more research is required in this area. The examination includes Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), ultrasound images of the eye as well as detailed images of the head using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner.
During his mission, Alexander Gerst will be carrying out ultrasound exams on his own eyes. When he returns to Earth in November 2014, a further examination will be carried out and the data compared. In total, there will be some 100 medical experiments during the ‘Blue Dot’ mission.