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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Artist's impression of a Moon exploration scenario.
The Terrae Novae 2030+ strategy roadmap has ambitious goals for each of the three exploration destinations low Earth orbit, Moon and Mars.
The high-level ambitious goal for the Moon is to see the first European astronaut land on the Moon before 2030 by providing autonomous Moon landing capabilities for European-led missions including in an international cooperation context, developing scientific and infrastructure assets, and preparing in turn for sustained lunar exploration in the 2030s, possibly also seizing new cooperation opportunities in human landing and surface mobility capabilities.
Terrae Novae 2030+ plans initial European capabilities and contributions for Moon exploration. The EL3 lander in the left has delivered a combination of cargo items, scientific payloads, and small robotic rovers. An Artemis crew including a European astronaut are unloading the lander assisted by a robotic arm and preparing lunar surface exploration activities. An earlier EL3 lander mission can be seen in the background, supporting several payloads and instruments. In orbit is the lunar Gateway including European elements that provides a staging post to the lunar surface, as well as other deep space destinations.
For more on ESA’s human and robotic exploration strategy see: https://www.esa.int/terraenovae