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, ESA's mission to test technology for future gravitational-wave observatories in space, depicted after the separation of the propulsion module.
LISA Pathfinder launched on 3 December 2015, and used its propulsion module to raise its orbit six times and embark on the path to its operational orbit. After releasing the propulsion module on 22 January, the science module will enter its final orbit around the first Sun–Earth Lagrangian point L1, 1.5 million km from Earth in the direction of the Sun.
Animated sequence of the journey: LISA Pathfinder's journey to L1.