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 Dutch have been designing and building satellite atmospheric sensors, such as carried on ERS and Envisat, since the 1990s. Building on this technical heritage, the Tropomi instrument on the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite was developed jointly by ESA and Netherlands Space Office. The mission as a whole was designed and built by a consortium of 30 companies under the leadership of Airbus Defence and Space NL and UK. It has been realised thanks to close collaboration between ESA, the European Commission, the Netherlands Space Office, industry, data users and scientists.