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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Europe is on its way to the moon! On the night of the 27/28 September an Ariane 5 launcher successfully placed ESA's SMART-1 spacecraft into geostationary transfer orbit at the start of its mission to our closest neighbour. SMART-1 will travel to the moon where it will carry out scientific studies and test key technologies for future space missions.
The programme provides an updated overview of the Smart-1 mission, including launch highlights and an overview of its operations.
This Exchange comprises of a 5 minute A-roll with split audio (English commentary/international sound) and is complimented by a 8-minute B-Roll with clean international sound.
SMART-1 EN ROUTE TO THE MOON!
00:41
Europe is on its way to the moon! The journey began with the successful launch of an Ariane 5 from Kourou, French Guiana, during the night of the 27-28 September 2003. Perched on top of the launcher as one of 3 payloads the European Space AgencyÕs SMART-1 spacecraft was placed into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit. From this starting position it will spend about 16 months in a slow spiraling trajectory towards our closest neighbour, and upon arrival will be captured by the moons gravitational field in January 2005.
01:31
SMART-1, an abbreviation for 'Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology' is the first of a series of ESA projects designed to test key technologies for the spacecraft of the future. Together with this SMART-1 carries a number of instruments that will carry out studies of the lunar surface.
01:50
In the case of this first pioneering mission the technologies being tested are twofold. The primary objective is to test the