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 Highlights 2009
2009 has been a record breaking year for ESA with 5 launches from 4 different Space Ports!
Two ESA astronauts went to the International Space Station: With a Soyuz for Frank De Winne for a long duration flight and a Shuttle mission for Christer Fuglesang.
Five payloads were sent: The Earth explorers GOCE and SMOS, to better understand the future of our planet, the Science observatories Herschell and Planck, to know more about our origins, not to forget the technology demonstrator Proba 2 that wil study the sun.