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 film demonstrating the activities at NASA's ground-based ionospheric stations, where scientists take vertical incidence soundings of the ionosphere. Commencing with footage of the NASA Wallops rocket research range, the film demonstrates: analysing ionograms, which show frequency-flight relationships and therefore general parameters of the ionosphere; sounding rocket launches; ground stations marked on a globe; the UK-1 aerial NASA/UK ionospheric satellite; an electron density profile graph; continuous wave [CW] propogation techniques - CW signal generator, oscillator in proportional oven; diagram to illustrate how the refractive index at the rocket can be derived; setting-up of experimental radiations for the pre-launch checkout; low-frequency antenna, high-frequency antenna, receiving equipment; CW-derived international prototype payload - checking of instrumentation, Langmuir probe with typical electron density profile graph, payload encapsulation, second stage with shroud antennae; ground station monito