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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

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

Latest

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Science & Exploration

A chance alignment in Lupus

03/04/2025 175 views 4 likes
A chance alignment in Lupus
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Story
Thwaites Glacier from Sentinel-1
Applications

How hidden lakes threaten Antarctic Ice Sheet stability

03/04/2025 461 views 3 likes
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Space Safety

Space Debris: Is it a Crisis?

01/04/2025 5306 views 124 likes
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ESA Impact 2025 - Q1 for link

Read the latest edition of ESA Impact

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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 4419 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

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Science & Exploration

Webb snaps photographs of Asteroid 2024 YR4

02/04/2025 2784 views 30 likes
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Artist view: ExoMars lander
Science & Exploration

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will have a European landin…

30/03/2025 2580 views 38 likes
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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 1905 views 54 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 3248 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 176 views 1 likes
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Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 8152 views 23 likes
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Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4444 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
Earth Observation Excellence Award 2025
Applications

Earth Observation Excellence Award 2025 winners

03/04/2025 252 views 0 likes
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Applications

Earth from Space: Waza National Park, Cameroon

28/03/2025 1159 views 32 likes
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captures the striking landscape surrounding the Waza National Park in Cameroon.
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Applications

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

20/11/2024 1857 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 4054 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

Firing up HENON’s engine

03/04/2025 418 views 8 likes
Firing up HENON’s engine
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Spectrum liftoff
Enabling & Support

Spectrum takes flight and clears the launch pad

30/03/2025 4456 views 64 likes
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Video 00:02:27
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3161 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 2427 views
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Space Safety

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Space Safety
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Incoming asteroid
Space Safety

ESA joins Asteroid Day for rocky live broadcast

29/06/2021 4065 views 63 likes
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Story
Space Safety
Space Safety

Hang out with Europe’s top space experts

23/06/2021 8480 views 56 likes
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Story
Is this what spacecraft will look like in the future?
Space Safety

Space sustainability rating to shine light on debris problem

17/06/2021 7726 views 38 likes
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Story
Space Safety & Security at ESA
Space Safety

ESA’s digital celebration of space safety and Asteroid Day

14/06/2021 5661 views 46 likes
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Story
Hera in space
Space Safety

The Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission – Presenting …

01/06/2021 5939 views 76 likes
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Story
The scales of the space debris problem
Space Safety

ESA's Space Environment Report 2021

27/05/2021 21553 views 67 likes
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Story
Spacecraft monitoring the Sun
Space Safety

Podcast: Name our space weather mission

19/05/2021 2630 views 45 likes
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Story
The 'No Name Mission
Space Safety

Name ESA’s new mission! (CLOSED)

17/05/2021 43242 views 162 likes
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Story
Fictional impact zone from the 2021 international Planetary Defence Conference
Space Safety

Lessons learnt from simulated strike

30/04/2021 7128 views 68 likes
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Story
Space Safety

ESA Explores a fictional asteroid impact

28/04/2021 3163 views 56 likes
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Animated depiction of a spacecraft deploying a drag sail in orbit
Space Safety

Setting sail for sustainable space

28/04/2021 6593 views 83 likes
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Testing reentry
Space Safety

Space debris: feel the burn

28/04/2021 6160 views 60 likes
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Story
ESA's Test-Bed Telescope 2 at sunset at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile
Space Safety

New ESA telescope in South America to search for asteroids

27/04/2021 8031 views 74 likes
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The growing problem of space debris
Space Safety

Looking back on a rubbish week

27/04/2021 2109 views 8 likes
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Asteroid passing Earth
Space Safety

ESA to live tweet asteroid impact exercise

26/04/2021 5326 views 65 likes
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Story
André Kuipers
Space Safety

ESA astronaut André Kuipers on sheltering from space debris

22/04/2021 2540 views 53 likes
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Space Safety

When the atmosphere isn't enough

19/04/2021 4843 views 64 likes
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Story
Space Safety

ESA invites ideas to open up in-orbit servicing market

01/04/2021 8975 views 69 likes
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Story
Stero view of simulated Didymos breakup
Space Safety

Brian May helps show Hera’s target asteroid may be ‘dust bu…

30/03/2021 4094 views 37 likes
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Story
Space Safety

Apophis impact ruled out for the first time

26/03/2021 26991 views 113 likes
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Story
Geostationary orbit
Space Safety

ESA and UNOOSA illustrate space debris problem

10/02/2021 10528 views 126 likes
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Story
What are satellites up against when it comes to space debris?
Space Safety

ESA & UNOOSA space debris infographics and podcast

10/02/2021 13289 views 12 likes
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Story
Still from Hera full dome show
Space Safety

ESA’s Hera mission – fulldome show for planetaria

02/02/2021 4834 views 47 likes
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Story
Click on image to see the huge flare produced on 4 November 2003
Space Safety

ESA's Portal to the Sun gets an upgrade

17/12/2020 2692 views 9 likes
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Story
Hera leaving Earth
Space Safety

Ireland helping ESA’s Hera asteroid mission find its way

11/12/2020 21378 views 54 likes
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Story
Reentry of Hayabusa2's sample capsule
Space Safety

Hera team congratulates JAXA on asteroid sample return

06/12/2020 6606 views 145 likes
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Story
Process of capture
Space Safety

ESA purchases world-first debris removal mission from start…

01/12/2020 24633 views 150 likes
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Story
Reflection nebula NGC 1999
Space Safety

13 spooky sights, sounds and stories from space

30/10/2020 6078 views 96 likes
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Story
New view of 2012 solar activity gif
Space Safety

Solar cycle 25: the Sun wakes up

29/10/2020 21388 views 88 likes
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Story
Geostationary orbit
Space Safety

The current state of space debris

12/10/2020 66995 views 198 likes
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Story
Infrared imaging of the impact crater
Space Safety

Industry starts work on Europe’s Hera planetary defence mis…

15/09/2020 8642 views 63 likes
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Story
ESA's Optical Ground Station
Space Safety

First laser detection of space debris in daylight

04/08/2020 12524 views 89 likes
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Story
Gaia mapping the stars of the Milky Way
Space Safety

Gaia revolutionises asteroid tracking

01/07/2020 6699 views 88 likes
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Story
ESA celebrates Asteroid Day
Space Safety

Watch ESA's Asteroid Day programmes

26/06/2020 2520 views 1 likes
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Story
Didymos asteroids
Space Safety

Name given to asteroid target of ESA’s planetary defence mi…

23/06/2020 6862 views 33 likes
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Story
Space Safety
Space Safety

An Agency for asteroids

23/06/2020 4537 views 27 likes
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Incoming asteroid
Space Safety

ESA highlights protection for our planet ahead of Asteroid …

22/06/2020 8089 views 67 likes
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Story
Brian May, Astrophysicist and Rockstar
Space Safety

Queen’s Brian May works to probe origin of asteroids

02/06/2020 10314 views 64 likes
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Distribution of space debris around Earth
Space Safety

The cost of space debris

07/05/2020 33103 views 82 likes
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Story
2020 HS7 observed by the Tautenburg Observatory on 28 April 2020
Space Safety

Asteroid grazes path of satellites in geostationary ring

30/04/2020 8000 views 77 likes
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Story
Hubble solar cell impact damage
Space Safety

Hubble's impactful life alongside space debris

30/04/2020 15629 views 71 likes
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Story
100th asteroid impact jointly detected at the Moon
Space Safety

100th lunar asteroid collision confirmed by second telescope

14/04/2020 13427 views 128 likes
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Students and experts of Clean Space Training Course 2020
Space Safety

Clean Space Training Course 2020 sees students explore the …

24/02/2020 2722 views 9 likes
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ClearSpace-1
Space Safety

ESA commissions world’s first space debris removal

09/12/2019 123082 views 439 likes
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Story
Hera leaving Earth
Space Safety

Amateur astronomers: help choose asteroid flybys for Hera

26/11/2019 4126 views 34 likes
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Story
Space Safety

Using AI to predict Earth’s future

19/11/2019 7367 views 49 likes
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Story
Juventas CubeSat closing on asteroid
Space Safety

Luxembourg firm enabling peek inside asteroid

18/11/2019 2760 views 21 likes
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Story
Space Safety

This week we're under the space weather

18/11/2019 5104 views 23 likes
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Space Safety

ESA practices cybersecurity

07/11/2019 11087 views 22 likes
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Hera scans DART’s impact crater
Space Safety

Apollo astronaut champions Hera for planetary defence

05/11/2019 3595 views 44 likes
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