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 folded up magnetometer boom of ESA's Smile mission. In space, it will stretch out to a total length of 3 m. The two magnetometer sensors are in the two small black boxes on the top segment of the boom.
MAG will measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields around the Smile spacecraft to help us understand how the solar wind affects Earth’s magnetosphere and therefore our planet as a whole.