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 full BepiColombo stack seen in ESA's test centre in May 2017.
From bottom to top: the Mercury Transfer Module (sitting on top of a cone-shaped adapter, and with one folded solar array including protective cover visible to the left); the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (with the solar array seen towards the right, also folded with cover), and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter’s Sunshield and Interface Structure (MOSIF). The Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter sits inside the MOSIF, which will be discarded after arriving at Mercury.