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
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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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Irish visitors being shown a mockup of Europe's Columbus module of the International Space Station. From left to right: Kevin Kelly, Ireland’s Ambassador to the Netherlands; Franco Ongaro, Head of ESTEC and ESA’s Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality; John Halligan, Ireland’s Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation and James Lawless T.D, Spokesperson on Science, Research and Development for the Fianna Fail Party.
On 24 April 2017 ESA’s technical centre in the Netherlands was honoured with a visit by John Halligan, Ireland’s Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation. Minister Halligan and his group were greeted by Franco Ongaro, Head of ESTEC and ESA’s Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality.
The Minister was joined by Private Secretary Katrina Flynn; James Lawless T.D, Spokesperson on Science, Research and Development for the Fianna Fail Party; Michael Davitt, Head of the Irish Delegation to ESA and fellow members of the Delegation and Enterprise Ireland, as well as Kevin Kelly, Ireland’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.
The visitors were shown ESTEC’s satellite Test Centre, the Planetary Robotics Laboratory and Erasmus Human Spaceflight Centre, where they met Irish ESA employees and representatives of partner companies.