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
Go to topicThe Hispasat 36W-1 satellite in Airbus Defence and Space’s Compact Antenna Test Range, Ottobrunn, Germany, on 1 September 2016.
Hispasat 36W-1 is the first telecommunications satellite to use the SmallGEO platform. SmallGEO is a multipurpose geostationary satellite platform capable of accommodating a wide range of commercial telecommunication payloads and missions, from TV broadcasting to multimedia applications, Internet access, and mobile or fixed services in a wide range of frequency bands.
Hispasat 36W-1 is joining the Hispasat fleet of geostationary telecom satellites to provide Europe, the Canary Islands and the Americas with faster multimedia service.
OHB System is responsible for developing the platform, integrating the satellite, testing it on ground and taking the satellite through in orbit testing and early operations.
The left antenna in this image has been retouched.