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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

This is ESA ESA facts Member States & Cooperating States Funding Director General Top management For Member State Delegations European vision European Space Policy ESA & EU Space Councils Responsibility & Sustainability Annual Report Calendar of meetings Corporate news

Establishments & sites

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

Working with ESA

Business with ESA ESA Commercialisation Gateway Law at ESA Careers Cyber resilience at ESA IT at ESA Newsroom Partnerships Merchandising Licence Education Open Space Innovation Platform Integrity and Reporting Administrative Tribunal Health and Safety

More about ESA

History ESA Historical Archives Exhibitions Publications Art & Culture ESA Merchandise Kids Diversity ESA Brand Centre ESA Champions

Latest

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Applications

Biomass launch highlights

29/04/2025 330 views 21 likes
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Story
Gaia spots odd star family
Science & Exploration

Gaia spots odd family of stars desperate to leave home

29/04/2025 1339 views 31 likes
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Science & Exploration

ACES in space

28/04/2025 652 views 32 likes
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Solar Orbiter’s widest high-resolution view of the Sun

Week in images: 21-25 April 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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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 4593 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 1339 views 31 likes
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Science & Exploration

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

29/04/2025 841 views 21 likes
Webb: A visual feast of galaxies, from infrared to X-ray
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Video 00:05:23
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 2977 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 3454 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 447 views 6 likes
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Story
Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 14448 views 39 likes
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Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4754 views 86 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
Biomass takes to the skies
Applications

Biomass launched to count forest carbon

29/04/2025 9893 views 89 likes
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Image
Applications

Earth from Space: French Guiana

25/04/2025 1543 views 40 likes
Copernicus Sentinel-1 captured this radar image over French Guiana – home to Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, where ESA’s Biomass mission is being prepared for liftoff on 29 April onboard a Vega-C rocket.
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Applications

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

20/11/2024 2053 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 4152 views
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ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

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

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Enabling & Support

Mission control GO for Biomass launch

28/04/2025 619 views 14 likes
Mission control GO for Biomass launch
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Story
P160C solid-propellant rocket motor fires on ground
Enabling & Support

P160C fires up successfully, a new chapter for Ariane 6 and…

25/04/2025 1652 views 41 likes
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Video 00:02:27
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3349 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 2476 views
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Science & Exploration

Mars image bounty

14/03/2019 11667 views
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Highlights
Showcase of the ExoMars orbiter’s imaging capabilities
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    Science & Exploration

    Dust devil frenzy

    14/03/2019 15886 views 110 likes
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    Dust devil frenzy
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    Banded terrain

    14/03/2019 2353 views 13 likes
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    Banded terrain
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    Salty sulphates

    14/03/2019 2659 views 23 likes
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    Salty sulphates
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    ExoMars images InSight

    14/03/2019 2022 views 6 likes
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    ExoMars images InSight
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    Science & Exploration

    South polar layered terrains

    14/03/2019 2981 views 26 likes
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    South polar layered terrains
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    Crater floor

    14/03/2019 1910 views 11 likes
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    Crater floor
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    A well-preserved crater

    14/03/2019 1472 views 10 likes
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    A well-preserved crater
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    Mineral diversity

    14/03/2019 1356 views 9 likes
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    Mineral diversity
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    Science & Exploration

    Layered depressions – 3D

    14/03/2019 1242 views 9 likes
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    Layered depressions – 3D
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    Science & Exploration

    Draped dunes – 3D

    14/03/2019 1824 views 9 likes
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    Draped dunes – 3D
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    Science & Exploration

    Jezero Crater neighbourhood – 3D

    14/03/2019 3026 views 26 likes
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    Jezero Crater neighbourhood – 3D
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    Science & Exploration

    Brain terrain – 3D

    14/03/2019 1683 views 7 likes
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    Brain terrain – 3D
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    Science & Exploration

    Rocky islands – 3D

    14/03/2019 1222 views 5 likes
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    Rocky islands – 3D
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