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 James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) will be the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. It follows in the footsteps of the Hubble Space Telescope as the next great space science observatory, designed to answer outstanding questions about the Universe and to make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy.
Webb will observe the Universe in the near-infrared and mid-infrared – at wavelengths longer than visible light. To do so, it carries a suite of state-of-the-art cameras, spectrographs and coronagraphs.
ESA plays a crucial role in Webb’s science payload, contributing the NIRSpec instrument and a 50% share of the MIRI instrument, as well as personnel to support mission operations.
Webb will see farther into our origins – from the Universe's first galaxies, to the birth of stars and planets, and exoplanets with the potential for life. Closer to home, Webb will also look at our own Solar System.
Webb will reach space on an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, a launch contributed by ESA.
Webb is an international partnership between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).