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 topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
On 10-11 October 2023, the Earth observation science community gathered in Bucharest, Romania, to discuss the merits of four competing candidate research missions: Cairt, Nitrosat, Seastar, and Wivern. These candidate satellite missions are vying to be selected for the next stage of preparation en-route to becoming ESA’s eleventh Earth Explorer mission. During the two days of the User Consultation Meeting, the science and technical teams presented the Earth science behind each of the candidate missions and how this is unlocked by each respective mission concept.
Earth Explorers are pioneering research missions that employ new observing techniques that can lead to new scientific findings about planet Earth. Advancing science and technology, they address questions that have direct bearings on societal issues such as the availability of food, water, energy and resources, public health, weather and climate change.
Access all the Earth Explorer 11 User Consultation Meeting streaming replays