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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Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, is the ideal launch site for an extraordinary mission such as ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice).
Because the Spaceport is located near the equator, launch vehicles gain extra performance thanks to a ‘slingshot effect’ due to the speed of Earth’s rotation. An open ocean towards the north and east offers a launch trajectory away from populated areas. In addition, this region has no risk of cyclones or earthquakes.
ESA owns the Ariane 5 launch complex and works closely with its partners: the French space agency CNES, which operates and maintains the spaceport; Arianespace, providing the launch service; and ArianeGroup and other industrial partners for launch vehicle assembly and launch operations.
Juice will make detailed observations of Jupiter and its three large ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa – with a suite of instruments. The mission will characterise these moons as both planetary objects and possible habitats, explore Jupiter’s complex environment in depth, and study the wider Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants across the Universe.