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!
The first documents signalling the go-ahead for Europe’s fleet of MetOp Second Generation weather satellites were signed by Volker Liebig, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes, and Michael Menking, Head of Airbus Defence & Space’s Earth Observation, Navigation and Science Programmes at the Berlin Air Show on 20 May 2014. These important documents were signed in the presence of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
With the first contractual documents now signed, the ‘A’ satellites will be developed and built by Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France, while the ‘B’ satellites will be developed and built at the company’s facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany. However, under the leadership of Airbus Defence and Space, a large industrial consortium of many different companies around Europe will be involved.