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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With the launch of the EarthCARE satellite approaching, the rocket fairing has been adorned with the mission sticker.
EarthCARE carries a set of four instruments that work together to answer critical scientific questions related to the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting incident solar radiation back out to space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface.
Although clouds and aerosols play an extremely important role in atmospheric heating and cooling, they remain a relative mystery – in fact, clouds are the least understood factor in our understanding of how the atmosphere drives the climate system.