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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Qualification shaker test of two antennas – seen within protective radomes – for the LaRa instrument, headed to Mars on the ExoMars Surface Platform. ESA’s Lander Radioscience experiment, or LaRa for short, is a high-performing transponder, tasked with maintaining an extremely stable direct radio-frequency link between Earth and Mars for a full Martian year – two Earth years – once ExoMars has touched down. This vibration testing simulates the harsh conditions of launch, atmosphere re-entry, descent and Mars landing, and was carried out on the 22kN electrodynamic vibration system of ESA’s Mechanical Systems Laboratory.