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's Gaia data release 3 is providing vital information about the Solar System's asteroid population, which is essential to investigate the origin of our Solar System.
The positions and orbital details of more than 150 000 asteroids will be released, as well as their brightness variations over time, which gives information about their shapes and rotations.
This release will also contain the colour and composition details for 60 000 asteroids, which – together with their orbits – gives precious information about their origin and classification.
Additionally, Gaia observed 31 moons of Solar System planets as well as a number of icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt beyond the orbit of Neptune.