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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Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov (left), NASA astronaut Steve Swanson (centre) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev (right) say their final farewells before hatches between their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft and the International Space Station are closed.
Just hours later they landed safely in Kazakhstan ending their 167-day stay in space as members of the ISS Expedition 39 and Expedition 40 crews.