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 topicSoyuz in Samara Format 4:3 Soyuz, the historical russian launcher, will soon be launched also from French Guyane. A new launch pad is being built on the Europe's space port in South America and in parallel the elements of the Soyuz that will be launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais are being prepared in Russia. This story shows the Samara Space Centre, one thousand kilometres south east of Moscow, and how Soyuz launchers are integrated. With more than 1600 Soyuz launched, which includes the first Sputnik and the first man in space, the work is well under control. This story also shows how the first two Soyuz launchers are being tested in Samara for their future flight from French Guyane.