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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Almost five and a half minutes after launch and now over the Arctic region, the second-stage of the launcher separates leaving the Breeze third-stage and the GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite – the so-called 'upper-composite' – on its ascent trajectory to the injection altitude of around 295 km. This phase takes almost an hour and a half.