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 topicThis video from 2004 was prepared as the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), Jules Verne, was preparing for launch. ATV is a supply ship for the International Space Station, carrying up to nine tonnes of provisions, equipment and propellant. It can also be used to reboost the ISS to a higher orbiting altitude and remove waste and material that is no longer needed from the Station. The video shows Jules Verne undergoing its final assembly and test campaign at ESA's Technical centre ESTEC in the Netherlands, before being shipped to the European launch site at Kourou in French Guiana for launch on Ariane 5. The video includes images of the ATV recorded at ESTEC, animations on the ATV precision docking, real footage of the Russian Progress docking with Zvezda and astronauts on the ISS. It has soundbites by ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy recorded at the ATV "flight simulator" in France. 6.16 minutes