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 topic
Herschel, ESA's cutting-edge space observatory, carries the largest, most powerful infrared telescope ever launched. A pioneering mission, it is studying the origin and evolution of stars and galaxies to help understand how the Universe came to be the way it is today. For this purpose Herschel is looking, in far-infrared and submillimetre wavelengths, at objects among the coldest in space. Launched in May 2009 it has already given great results to the scientific community by revealing invisible parts of the universe.
More backgroud information can be found on: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel/index.html