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 topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
Developed by UK company Thruvision, the body scanners are non-invasive, passively screening individuals for suspicious objects. They work by detecting the absence of the naturally occurring, extremely high-frequency ‘terahertz’ waves, emitted by anything that is warm – including the human body. The terahertz waves can penetrate clothing and thin plastics or ceramics but not metal or liquid water. However, the Thruvision system can also detect plastics guns and ceramic knives.