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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This is the launcher that will transport BepiColombo to orbit. The upper part with the spacecraft and the fairing will be integrated in the ‘final assembly building’.
The image captures the transfer of the Ariane 5 launcher from the ‘launcher integration building’ to the ‘final assembly building’ at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou last week.
BepiColombo is a joint endeavour between ESA and JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. It is the first European mission to Mercury, the smallest and least explored planet in the inner Solar System, and the first to send two spacecraft to make complementary measurements of the planet’s dynamic environment at the same time.
Launch is currently scheduled for 01:45 GMT on 20 October. Check for updates and follow the launch live via esa.int/live.