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 topicProfessor Reimar Lüst, former ESA's Director General, looks back at 30 years of space in Europe.Start.ting from the Sputnik and the space race between America and the Soviet Union Professor Lüst talks about ESRO, the creation of an European launcher programme,Mir, the International Space Station and Columbus. He then talks about scientific missions such as Rosetta, the Huygens's images of Titan and Envisat. The video underlines also the importance of Galileo, the European Navigation System and of the contribution of space to Technological and Scientific progress.