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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The EarthCARE Flight Control Team inside the main control room at ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, during preparations for the launch of ESA's EarthCARE mission.
The 'simulations campaign' is an important part of launch preparations at ESA. It trains the Flight Control Team together with their support teams into a single, integrated Mission Control Team focussed on the mission's time-critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase as well as contingency operations. The team rehearse a series of intensive, real-time mission scenarios again and again, until they (and their backups) are able to handle all routine and unplanned situations.