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 interior layout of LISA Pathfinder's science module.
At the heart of the science module lies the LISA Technology Package. This contains inertial sensors, an optical metrology system, the payload computer and a diagnostic system. The inertial sensors and optical metrology system provide signals to the Drag-Free and Attitude Control System, which in turn commands three clusters of cold-gas micronewton thrusters, as well as feeding back to the inertial sensors.
The solar array (shown here as partly transparent for illustrative purposes) provides the spacecraft with solar power and shields it from the Sun.