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 topicCommander of the International Space Station for Exp. 70
ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen returned to the International Space Station for his second mission, Huginn, in August 2023. He stayed on the Space Station for 6 months, his first long duration mission after his 10-day mission, iriss, in 2015.
Andreas launched in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule alongside his Crew-7 crew mate and commander NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli. Andreas is the first non-US pilot on Crew Dragon, leading the way for Europe in space exploration. In the role as pilot, he was in charge of the spacecraft's systems and performance as they launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida to the International Space Station.
Andreas performed more than 30 European and plenty of international experiments and technology demonstrations during his Huginn mission.
Crew-7 with Andreas returned on 12 March 2024 at 09:47 GMT/10:47 CET after more than six months on the Space Station, totaling 199 days in space during his Huginn mission.