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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

Latest

Story
NGC 6072 (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb traces details of complex planetary nebula

30/07/2025 175 views 1 likes
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Video 00:07:00
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Enabling & Support

VV27 road to liftoff

29/07/2025 918 views 42 likes
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Swirling spiral in Hydra

Week in images: 21-25 July 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Applications

Earth from Space: Kuwaiti waters

25/07/2025 1996 views 55 likes
The turquoise waters southeast of the Kuwaiti island of Failaka are captured in this image acquired by the Φsat-2 mission.
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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 5215 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
NGC 6072 (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb traces details of complex planetary nebula

30/07/2025 175 views 1 likes
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Video 00:02:13
Play
Science & Exploration

ExoMars parachute high-altitude drop test

21/07/2025 1568 views 32 likes
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Image
Science & Exploration

You can’t judge a star by its protoplanetary disc

14/07/2025 1830 views 59 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 3964 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 space safety

Protecting our Pale Blue Dot Space Safety at ESA

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

Story
Space weather reporter Vigil in deep space
Space Safety

Vigil’s tools as a space weather reporter

17/07/2025 1096 views 12 likes
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Video 00:01:51
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Space Safety

Vigil: ESA’s space weather reporter in deep space

17/07/2025 1364 views 54 likes
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Image
Space Safety

Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5

04/06/2025 1481 views 28 likes
Close approach of asteroid (424482) 2008 DG5
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Focus on
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
European forests
Applications

A troubling shift in Europe’s forest carbon balance

30/07/2025 57 views 1 likes
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Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Kuwaiti waters

25/07/2025 1996 views 55 likes
The turquoise waters southeast of the Kuwaiti island of Failaka are captured in this image acquired by the Φsat-2 mission.
View
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

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

20/11/2024 2661 views 30 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 4352 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
MicroCarb in preparation for its flight on Vega-C
Enabling & Support

Europe’s new carbon-monitoring mission launches on Vega-C

28/07/2025 476 views 13 likes
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Image
Enabling & Support

Students take 3D-printed rovers for a spin

03/07/2025 915 views 35 likes
Students take 3D-printed rovers for a spin
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Video 00:02:27
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3670 views 67 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 2626 views
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Science & Exploration

Venus Express images

09/08/2013 7742 views
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Highlights

Recent images from ESA's planetary orbiter

  • Image
    Science & Exploration

    Close-up on venusian cloud structures at the south pole

    28/05/2008 1140 views 10 likes
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    Close-up on venusian cloud structures at the south pole
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    Science & Exploration

    Interaction between Venus and the solar wind

    29/11/2007 2929 views 8 likes
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    Interaction between Venus and the solar wind
  • Image
    Science & Exploration

    Venus’ southern hemisphere in the ultraviolet

    29/11/2007 3031 views 6 likes
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    Venus’ southern hemisphere in the ultraviolet
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    Science & Exploration

    Venus Express

    01/01/1970 603 views 1 likes
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  • Image
    Science & Exploration

    Artist’s concept of lightning on Venus

    29/11/2007 3294 views 10 likes
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    Artist’s concept of lightning on Venus
  • Image
    Science & Exploration

    Zoom-in on Venus’ oxygen airglow

    11/04/2007 1562 views 6 likes
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    Zoom-in on Venus’ oxygen airglow
  • Image
    Science & Exploration

    Radiation from below the Venusian cloud deck

    13/10/2006 1141 views 5 likes
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    Radiation from below the Venusian cloud deck
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    Science & Exploration

    Venus, southern hemisphere

    29/11/2007 2708 views 21 likes
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    Venus, southern hemisphere
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