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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LISA Pathfinder’s science module (the white- and gold-coloured structure), sits atop the spacecraft’s propulsion module (the silver-coloured structure). The craft’s solar array is visible on top of the science module.
The science module has an outer diameter of 231 cm, a height of 96 cm and contains many of the spacecraft’s key payload components.
After being transported to low orbit by ESA’s Vega rocket, LISA Pathfinder will use its propulsion module to raise its orbit and then to travel some 1.5 million km through space to reach its final destination: the L1 Sun–Earth Lagrangian point.
LISA Pathfinder will discard the propulsion module shortly before reaching its final orbital position.