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
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Nathalie Leys from ESA’s Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative team introduces life-support research.
For exploring our Solar System, it would be ideal if we could take Earth’s ecosystem along with us to provide the environment we need to survive and feel comfortable in the harsh vacuum of space. Obviously, this is impractical but can we scale down our ecosystem to provide for us as we travel?
Sending bacteria to space is just one step in the process of miniaturising waste recycling and food production.