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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Fellow ESA astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti and Matthias Maurer pose for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Harmony module. Maurer would don his SpaceX flight suit later, board the Dragon Endurance crew ship and depart for Earth.
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned to the International Space Station for her second mission, Minerva, on 27 April 2022.
Samantha was launched in a new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule called Freedom alongside her Crew-4 crew mates, NASA astronauts Bob "Farmer" Hines, Kjell Lindgren and Jessica Watkins. During the flight to and from the Station, Samantha will be a mission specialist. On Station, she is USOS Lead, responsible for all activities within the US Orbital Segment for the duration of her mission. This segment includes the US, European, Japanese and Canadian modules and components of the Space Station.
During her time on board Samantha will support numerous European and international experiments in orbit.
Visit Minerva mission page to learn more about Samantha's mission.