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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A technique called ‘diffusion bonding’ is used to join two or more aluminium segments together as part of an ESA project to test the production of larger aluminium mirrors. To stick the segments together extra aluminium chips are added to the joins, then heat is applied to make them partially liquid. This makes the aluminium of the segments migrate into each other, without melting them entirely.