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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Image captured by Andreas Mogensen during his Huginn mission.
Mount Vesuvius near Naples in Italy. It was created by the African and Eurasian tectonic plates colliding, where a ring of volcanos formed in the south of Italy, called the Campanian volcanic arc, where Vesuvius is one of the most active and well-known of the volcanos. The soil on the slopes of the volcano is rich in minerals, where tomatoes are grown and are famous for their intense flavour. I will be looking forward to trying fresh vegetables again after 6 months on board the Space Station.
On the west side of Naples is the Phlegraean Fields, which is a very active area at the moment, where the ground spews sulphur fumes and the ground has risen about 15 cm in a year. In September 2023, the area saw around 200 earthquakes, most of them too small to do any damage, but it speaks to the amount of seismic activity in the region.