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
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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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Before ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano was launched to the International Space Station for his second space mission ‘Beyond’ on 20 July 2019, we asked Twitter followers what they would like to #AskLuca. In this video, he answers a few of those questions.
Discover the biggest sacrifice Luca made to become an astronaut, whether it is harder or easier to train for the Space Station the second time around and what his favourite science fiction quote is, among other information.
Luca was launched to the International Space Station from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Saturday 20 July 2019. He arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning and will live and work onboard the orbital outpost for six months, supporting over 50 European science and technology experiments in space.
During the second part of his mission, known as Expedition 61, Luca will take up the role of Space Station commander – becoming the first Italian and third European astronaut to do so.
Follow Luca’s Beyond mission: http://lucaparmitano.esa.int/