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 topicESA astronaut Frank De Winne will be the first ever European commander of the International Space Station. He will command the ISS during the second half of his six-month mission named OasISS. After a successful career as a senior pilot in the Belgian air force De Winne was recruited to the ESA astronaut Corps in 2000 and has already worked on the ISS on the 9-day Odissea mission in 2002. During OasISS De Winne will not only be the first European ISS commander but he will also be instrumental in operating the robotic arms with which the Japanese HTV spacecraft will be attached to the ISS in September and its external payloads will be installed. Frank De Winne has trained extensively for his specific tasks at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, at the Tsukuba Space Center in Tsukuba, Japan, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, United States and the Gagarin cosmonaut centre in Star city, Russia.