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 Space Station's Expedition 51 crew. Clockwise, starting top left, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astonaut Peggy Whitson, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Fyodor Yurchikhin, and NASA astronaut Jack Fischer. This photo was taken a few days before Thomas Pesquet and Oleg Novitsky returned to Earth on 2 June 2017 after 196 days in space.
Thomas spent six months on the International Space Station as part of his Proxima mission. During Proxima, Thomas took part in 60 scientific experiments for ESA and France’s space agency CNES and the international Station partners.
The mission is part of ESA’s vision to use Earth-orbiting spacecraft as a place to live and work for the benefit of European society while using the experience to prepare for future voyages of exploration further into the Solar System.
More about the Proxima mission: http://www.esa.int/proxima
Connect with Thomas Pesquet: http://thomaspesquet.esa.int