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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Inspired by the archetype 1970s video game “Space Invaders”, a small and colourful mosaic was placed on the hatch of ESA's space laboratory Columbus on the International Space Station by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
French artist, known as Invader, established his urban alien artwork in more than 60 cities all over the world including Rome, Paris, New York, Manchester, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. In 2012 he sent a mosaic into the stratosphere on a high-altitude balloon.
Mission control thinks Invader will organise more invasions and activate aliens at other ESA establishments. Follow their progress on Twitter via #space2iss and #SpaceInvader.
Samantha is planning to join forces with these pixelated artforms to inspire primary school children to use their imagination combining geometry, colours and mathematics into abstract minimalism.