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
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
MetOP-SG-A1 the anechoic chamber at the Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France on 26 November 2024. A white ‘yurt’ is being lowered around the satellite. Clean air is blown inside the yurt to maintain cleanliness beyond the ISO8 standard.
The MetOp-Second Generation (MetOp-SG) mission comprises three successive pairs of satellites to deliver data for weather forecasting and climate prediction for over 20 years. Working as a pair in polar orbit, the A-type and B-type satellites are equipped with complementary suites of instruments to provide high-resolution measurements of temperature, precipitation, clouds, winds, and more. The A-type satellites carry optical and sounder instruments, and the B-type satellites carry microwave imaging instruments.