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 Thomas Pesquet riding the Space Station's exercise bicycle, 6 May 2021.
Thomas shared this image on his social media channels with the caption:"Here's the Space Station exercise bicycle, one of three ways to exercise in space (we also have a treadmill and a "weight"-lifting machine). Today is World Bicycle Day and we call our bicycle CEVIS which stands for Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System – I don't know which 'S' made it into the acronym ). The third UN Sustainable Development Goal is: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. I'll be honest I am more of a runner, but we spend two hours a day exercising in space on three different machines because it is so important! In space we experience a type of accelerated ageing and exercise is even more important than on Earth, because we use our muscles less – on Earth your body constantly compensates for gravity as it keeps balancing to stay upright – unless you are lying down of course. Variation, like everything in life, is key, and cycling is a good non-impact way of keeping fit. Researchers are fascinated by keeping track of our bodies in weightlessness because it offers a way to ethically monitor people in stress and in rapid ageing (that's us!). That's what all the pipes are for, to monitor my VO2 max, a common way of testing fitness, professional cyclists will know it well! One thing everybody agrees on: exercise to stay fit and healthy!"
Follow Thomas and his Mission Alpha on his blog.