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 moment a team of technicians, gowned like hospital surgeons, wraps the Sentinel-3A radar altimeter in multilayer insulation to protect it from the temperature extremes found in Earth orbit.
The appliance of multiple layers of metal-sprayed plastic film with spacers in between is the reason why many satellites being readied for flight end up resembling crinkly-wrapped presents.
These layers help to maintain the ‘thermal balance’ of the satellite within set limits, enabling the electronics to function optimally and preventing any structural deformation from the rapid temperature shifts experienced in the airlessness of space.
This month saw the completion of Sentinel-3A at the mammoth Thales Alenia Space cleanroom in Cannes, France. After this picture was taken, it went on to endure shaker testing to simulate the experience of launch, with thermal testing due for early next year.
After it is launched at the end of 2015, Sentinel-3A will use the antenna shown in the photo to measure the precise contours of the sea surface.
Delivering key information for Europe’s Copernicus programme, Sentinel-3A also carries an ocean-colour and land-imaging instrument and ‘radiometer’ to take the temperature of the sea surface.