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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Expedition 42 group photo in the International Space Station in 2015. Clockwise from top: NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, cosmonaut Elena Serova, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, NASA astronaut Terry Virts and cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Alexander Samoukutyaev.
Samantha commented on this picutre: "We took a group picture of Expedition 42 before Sasha, Elena and Butch departed. Our motto: Don’t Panic and always know where your towel is!"
Follow Samantha via samanthacristoforetti.esa.int