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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ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is shown flying above Earth attached to the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. This image was captured during his second spacewalk to service the cosmic ray detecting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer AMS-02.
Due to the difficult to reach nature of the AMS worksite located on top of the Station’s S3 Truss structure between a pair of solar arrays and radiators, Luca travels to and from the site on the end of the robotic arm maneuvered by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir inside the Station.