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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ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt from Sweden on the plane back to Europe just a few hours after splashdown. Marcus underwent initial medical checks to ensure he was fit for his first flight on Earth after the completion of his Muninn mission. Marcus returned to Earth on 9 February at 13:30 GMT/14:30 CET, marking the end of his Muninn mission to the International Space Station. He and the other three astronauts from Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) landed in their Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Florida, USA, after spending 20 days in space. Marcus’s crewmates from Ax-3 were Walter Villadei from Italy, Alper Gezeravcı from Türkiye and Michael López-Alegría, representing both USA and Spain as a dual-citizen. Marcus blasted into space towards the Space Station on 18 January 2024. During his time on board, Marcus supported nearly 20 European experiments and spent more than 100 hours conducting science and technology demonstrations. Marcus is the first of a new generation of European astronauts to fly on a commercial human spaceflight opportunity with Axiom Space. His mission is supported by ESA and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA).