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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Airbus and Arianespace teams working together at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to rehearse mating the Sentinel-2C satellite to the Vega launch adapter. This is a rehearsal of the mating procedure that takes place eight days before the launch. The rehearsal allows the compatibility of mechanical and electrical interfaces to be verified in advance – ensuring that there will not be any technical issues or delays on the day of the final mating.
Scheduled to be launched in September 2024 on a Vega rocket, Sentinel-2C is the third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite to provide high-resolution images of Earth for numerous applications such as for monitoring land-cover change and plant health, for monitoring water quality and changes in ice cover.