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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This image shows the 26 cameras of Plato’s structural model in ESA’s test centre. These 26 cameras are not functional; they do not have lenses. Instead, they were built to test the interfaces between the cameras and the optical bench they are mounted on.
[Image description: This image shows the 26 cameras of Plato’s structural model. The cameras are arranged into four rows of six cameras and two cameras in a small row on top. The cameras have outward pointing tips and are covered in a black foil.]