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About ESA

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.

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ESA - United space in Europe

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ESA Headquarters ESA ESTEC ESA ESOC ESA ESRIN ESA EAC ESA ESAC Europe's Spaceport ESA ESEC ESA ECSAT Brussels Office Washington Office

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Latest

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Above-ground biomass 2022
Applications

ESA unveils longest-ever dataset on forest biomass

02/05/2025 2417 views 14 likes
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ESA’s Biomass lifts off aboard Vega-C

Week in images: 28 April - 02 May 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Earth from Space: World’s biggest iceberg

02/05/2025 1199 views 38 likes
The Ocean and Land Colour Instrument on Copernicus Sentinel-3 captured this image of Earth’s biggest iceberg, A23a, on 5 April 2025.
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Biomass launch highlights

29/04/2025 675 views 30 likes
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Press Release N° 24–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA and NASA join forces to land Europe’s rover on Mars

ESA and NASA are consolidating their cooperation on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission with an agreement that ensures important US contributions, such as the launch service, elements of the propulsion system needed for landing on Mars and heater units for the Rosalind Franklin rover.
16/05/2024 4610 views
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Space in Member States

Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.

Germany Germany Austria Austria Belgium Belgium Denmark Denmark Spain Spain Estonia Estonia Finland Finland France France Greece Greece Hungary Hungary Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Luxembourg Luxembourg Norway Norway The Netherlands The Netherlands Poland Poland Portugal Portugal Czechia Czechia Romania Romania United Kingdom United Kingdom Slovenia Slovenia Sweden Sweden Switzerland Switzerland

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

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Programmes

Space Science Human and Robotic Exploration

Astronauts

Sophie Adenot
Pablo Álvarez Fernández
Rosemary Coogan
Samantha Cristoforetti
Alexander Gerst
Raphaël Liégeois
Matthias Maurer
Andreas Mogensen
Luca Parmitano
Thomas Pesquet
Marco Sieber

Missions

Juice Euclid Webb Solar Orbiter BepiColombo Gaia ExoMars Cheops Exoplanet missions More missions

Activities

International Space Station Orion service module Gateway Concordia Caves & Pangaea Benefits

Latest

Story
Gaia spots odd star family
Science & Exploration

Gaia spots odd family of stars desperate to leave home

29/04/2025 2078 views 44 likes
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Science & Exploration

A visual feast of galaxies, from infrared to X-ray

29/04/2025 1521 views 41 likes
Webb: A visual feast of galaxies, from infrared to X-ray
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 3020 views 67 likes
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Press Release N° 49–2024
Science & Exploration

ESA 3D prints first metal part on the International Space Station

The first metal 3D printer in space, a collaboration between ESA and Airbus, has printed its first metal product on the International Space Station, a breakthrough in crew autonomy for future long-duration exploration missions.
06/09/2024 3475 views
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Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

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Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

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About safety and security

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot The story so far Plans for the future

Asteroids

Asteroids and Planetary Defence Asteroid danger explained Flyeye telescope: asteroid detection Hera mission: asteroid deflection Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre

Space junk

About space debris Space debris by the numbers Space Environment Report In space refuelling, refurbishing and removing

Safety from space

Clean Space ecodesign Zero Debris Technologies Space for Earth Supporting Sustainable Development

Space weather

Solar Hazards ESA Vigil: providing solar warning Space Weather Warning Network

Latest

Video 01:07:58
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Space Safety

Media briefing: Europe's top experts address the growing th…

01/04/2025 480 views 6 likes
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Story
Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 14735 views 39 likes
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Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4769 views 87 likes
Hera Mars flyby
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Space Safety

James Webb Space Telescope will study asteroid 2024 YR4

Webb will provide a more accurate estimate of the asteroid's size

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Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

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Observing the Earth

Observing the Earth Future EO Copernicus Meteorology Space for our climate Satellite missions

Connectivity

Connectivity and Secure Communications ARTES Moonlight Civil security from space

Satellite navigation

Satellite navigation Galileo EGNOS NAVISP Genesis LEO-PNT

Commercialisation

ESA Commercialisation Gateway Open Space Innovation Platform Business Incubation ESA Space Solutions

Latest

Story
Above-ground biomass 2022
Applications

ESA unveils longest-ever dataset on forest biomass

02/05/2025 2417 views 14 likes
Read
Image
Applications

Earth from Space: World’s biggest iceberg

02/05/2025 1199 views 38 likes
The Ocean and Land Colour Instrument on Copernicus Sentinel-3 captured this image of Earth’s biggest iceberg, A23a, on 5 April 2025.
View
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

ESA’s Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme

20/11/2024 2070 views 20 likes
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Press Release N° 1–2024
Applications

Media invitation: Last chance to see the EarthCARE cloud and aerosol satellite in Europe

On 1 February, media representatives have the unique opportunity of seeing  the EarthCARE satellite up close in the cleanroom at Airbus facilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany, before the spacecraft is packed up and shipped to California, USA, for a launch scheduled in May.
11/01/2024 4159 views
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ESA Φ-week 2021
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Register for Φ-week

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Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

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Building missions

Space Engineering and Technology Test centre Laboratories Concurrent Design Facility Preparing for the future Shaping the Future Discovery and Preparation Advanced Concepts Team

Space transportation

Space Transportation Ariane Vega Space Rider Future space transportation Boost! Europe's Spaceport Launches from Europe's Spaceport from 2012

Flying missions

Operations ESA ground stations Ground Systems Engineering

Latest

Story
Advanced Concepts Team’s ELOPE challenge
Enabling & Support

‘ELOPE’ with ESA’s moon landing guidance competition

01/05/2025 479 views 19 likes
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Enabling & Support

Mission control GO for Biomass launch

28/04/2025 824 views 22 likes
Mission control GO for Biomass launch
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Video 00:02:27
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3363 views 64 likes
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Juice approaches Earth
Enabling & Support

Blog: Juice's lunar-Earth flyby

Follow for the latest updates as ESA's Jupiter mission swings through the Earth system this summer

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Press Release N° 8–2024
Enabling & Support

Call for interest: Ariane 6 launch media events at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending media events at Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, for the first flight of Europe's new rocket Ariane 6. Journalists wishing to participate in either or both the pre-launch and launch media programmes detailed below, are asked to submit their application via ESA’s media accreditation page by Friday 1 March 2024.
19/02/2024 2482 views
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Agency

Sentinel-1

10/03/2014 1376 views
ESA / Newsroom / Highlights

In early April 2014, Sentinel-1A was launched from Europe’s spaceport in French Guyana on top of a Soyuz launcher. It is the first mission of the Copernicus programme, a radar mission to provide an all-weather day-and-night supply of imagery for Copernicus user services.

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    Sentinel-1 quick steps to launch

    17/04/2014 4179 views 9 likes
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    Time-lapse of Sentinel-1A being prepared for launch and lift off on 3 April 2014
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    Sentinel-1A rides into space on a Soyuz

    08/04/2014 36539 views 152 likes
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    On-board cameras captured this footage from liftoff to separation
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    Sentinel-1A liftoff

    03/04/2014 24236 views 149 likes
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    Separation in space

    04/04/2014 29525 views 174 likes
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    Soyuz Fregat on-board cameras show release of Sentinel-1A
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    Sentinel-1A launch: full replay

    03/04/2014 19964 views 91 likes
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    Copernicus

    21/03/2014 9878 views 42 likes
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    Sentinel-1: Radar mission

    05/03/2014 12199 views 17 likes
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    Time-lapse film of Sentinel-1A radar deployment

    30/01/2014 2513 views 7 likes
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