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 topicThe launch of Space Shuttle Discovery Flight STS-116 scheduled for the night of 7-8 December will bring Swedish ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang to the ISS. This is possibly the most difficult flight among complex missions to complete the ISS in orbit. With the arrival of STS-116, German ESA astronaut and ISS resident crew member Thomas Reiter will be replaced by Sunita Williams from NASA. Reiter will be returning back to Earth on the Shuttle together with Christer Fuglesang, after nearly six months in space. The main objective of Flight STS-116 is to put into service two huge electricity-generating solar array panels, already onboard the station since September 2006. Switching this new electrical system on is a very difficult and complex task which requires Fuglesang and his NASA counterpart Robert Curbeam to perform two "spacewalks" to rewire one half of the station each. Today's Video News Release provides all the background footage - including English soundbites by Fuglesang - to cover the story.