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 topicA visually diverse documentary which looks at the first ten years of the Space Age, starting with the 1957 deployment of the Russian Sputnik satellite [no footage of this]. From a stance which anticipates America's first manned mission to the moon, various developments in space exploration are considered - the use of sounding rockets; construction and use of satellites; early scientific satellites, biosatellites; interplanetary probes, remote exploration of the moon; meteorological exploration by satellite; satellite communications using examples such as telemedicine and television; the development of aeronautical technology as a result of space research; the reality of space travel [astronaut training, early manned launches, footage taken from orbit, docking, splashdown]; building of space facilities centres; space science research, construction of components; accidental explosion of research vehicle; launch failure; Saturn 5 rocket in assembly building; astronaut training; rocket launches and flights.
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