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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The six Expedition 40 crew members take a break from training to pose for their crew portrait.
From left are cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos, NASA astronaut Steve Swanson and cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev; ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, cosmonaut Maxim Suraev and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman. The 38S crew is composed of Swanson, Skvortsov and Artemyev. The 39S crew includes Suraev, Gerst and Wiseman.
Alexander Gerst is flight engineer for Expedition 40/41, which will be launched to the International Space Station in May 2014 on a long-duration mission to run science experiments and maintain humankind’s space base.