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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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Agency

ESA School Days 2025 at ESRIN

18/04/2025 282 views 12 likes
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Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Giza, Egypt

18/04/2025 2699 views 31 likes
This very high-resolution image captures the Egyptian city of Giza and its surrounding area, including the world-famous Giza Pyramid Complex.
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Story
Global sea surface temperature
Applications

Sea surface warming faster than expected

17/04/2025 972 views 21 likes
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Fuelling Biomass

Week in images: 07-11 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 4513 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
No tricks, just treats (M83 MIRI image)
Science & Exploration

Webb spots clues of black hole at heart of nearby galaxy M83

17/04/2025 2458 views 13 likes
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Image
Science & Exploration

Hubble offers a new view of Sombrero galaxy

16/04/2025 2338 views 75 likes
Sombrero Galaxy
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Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 2634 views 62 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 3353 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 318 views 4 likes
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Story
Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 12860 views 35 likes
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Image
Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4642 views 86 likes
Hera Mars flyby
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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

Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Giza, Egypt

18/04/2025 2699 views 31 likes
This very high-resolution image captures the Egyptian city of Giza and its surrounding area, including the world-famous Giza Pyramid Complex.
View
Story
Global sea surface temperature
Applications

Sea surface warming faster than expected

17/04/2025 972 views 21 likes
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Video 00:02:18
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Applications

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

20/11/2024 1973 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 4101 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

Story
Space Rider's ALEK in accoustic chamber
Enabling & Support

Space Rider’s smart ALEK passes bumpy, noisy, shocking test…

10/04/2025 1405 views 33 likes
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Image
Enabling & Support

New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes

09/04/2025 1829 views 49 likes
New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes
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Video 00:02:27
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Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3272 views 64 likes
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Focus on
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 2454 views
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Space Safety

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Space Safety
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Stories Videos Images
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ESOC Main Control Room
Space Safety

ESA joins reentry campaign

06/11/2017 21601 views 54 likes
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Story
Asteroid 37627 Lucaparmitano
Space Safety

Asteroid Luca

12/10/2017 6843 views 118 likes
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Story
Space Safety

Solar antics

19/09/2017 9494 views 138 likes
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Story
Future Flyeye survey telescope
Space Safety

ESA marks #Asteroid Day

21/06/2017 8741 views 95 likes
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Story
Lunar impact flash
Space Safety

Neliota project detects flashes from lunar impacts

24/05/2017 1369 views 2 likes
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Story
Satellite break-up
Space Safety

Call for a sustainable future in space

21/04/2017 9499 views 79 likes
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Story
Satellite break-up
Space Safety

International consensus on debris threat

21/04/2017 4985 views 10 likes
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Story
Space debris effects on the geostationary orbit
Space Safety

European conference on space debris risks and mitigation

04/04/2017 16233 views 37 likes
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Story
Looking up
Space Safety

Asteroid sleuths go back to the future

10/01/2017 6908 views 121 likes
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Story
The AIM spacecraft watches from afar as DART approaches and hits Didymoon
Space Safety

The making of....

24/11/2016 1967 views 12 likes
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Story
Solar loops after eruption
Space Safety

ESA expands space weather services

15/11/2016 4093 views 19 likes
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Story
Satellite break-up
Space Safety

Sending a satellite safely to sleep

11/11/2016 4636 views 39 likes
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Story
Asteroid Lutetia
Space Safety

15 000 space rocks and counting

27/10/2016 7924 views 133 likes
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Story
Reentering satellite
Space Safety

CleanSat disposal essential for swelling satellite populati…

21/09/2016 3555 views 41 likes
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Story
Hera networking with CubeSats
Space Safety

Why asteroids matter - an industrial perspective

10/08/2016 2738 views 7 likes
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Story
Space Safety

CleanSat, reshaping future satellites

15/07/2016 1160 views 0 likes
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Story
Concept for future deorbit mission
Space Safety

e.Deorbit: Pushing the Boundaries of Space Technologies

11/07/2016 2389 views 4 likes
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Story
e.Deorbit closing on target satellite
Space Safety

Setting a satellite to catch a satellite

08/07/2016 26501 views 140 likes
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Story
Space challenge start screen
Space Safety

AIM – Space Challenge

30/06/2016 7928 views 59 likes
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Story
AIM and CubeSats watch impact
Space Safety

Highly impactful: 10 facts about ESA’s Asteroid Impact Miss…

30/06/2016 4295 views 45 likes
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Story
Binary asteroids
Space Safety

Binary asteroids, the ins and outs

10/06/2016 2284 views 2 likes
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Story
Space Safety

The art of AIM

27/05/2016 1165 views 11 likes
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Story
Concept for artwork for the AIM tycoon game
Space Safety

AIM, the game

06/05/2016 2513 views 11 likes
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Story
Space Safety

AIDA at EGU 2016

29/04/2016 986 views 2 likes
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Story
Hera networking with CubeSats
Space Safety

The art of landing on an asteroid

02/03/2016 7061 views 36 likes
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Story
The AIM industry days held at ESTEC were well attended
Space Safety

AIM industry days 2016

01/03/2016 2481 views 5 likes
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Story
ATV reentering atmosphere
Space Safety

Simulating reentries for safer satellites

24/02/2016 4770 views 35 likes
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Story
Chelyabinsk sky rendering
Space Safety

Asteroid Day press conference participants

29/01/2016 4341 views 11 likes
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Story
Chelyabinsk asteroid trail
Space Safety

Asteroid Day incoming on 30 June

29/01/2016 12172 views 102 likes
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Story
Space debris around Earth
Space Safety

Talking rubbish: anti-space debris discussion set for May

12/01/2016 3271 views 7 likes
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Story
Testing in plasma wind tunnel
Space Safety

Go for the burn: how to melt a satellite

15/12/2015 9860 views 88 likes
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Story
Camera by model asteroid
Space Safety

Robot arm simulates close approach of ESA’s asteroid mission

08/12/2015 5435 views 84 likes
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Story
Luisa Innocenti
Space Safety

More successful than we expected: Luisa Innocenti interview

17/11/2015 5579 views 35 likes
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Story
Space weather
Space Safety

Europe comes together for space weather

05/11/2015 10871 views 92 likes
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Story
AIM and CubeSats watch impact
Space Safety

CubeSat companions for ESA’s asteroid mission

02/11/2015 12166 views 110 likes
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Story
2015 TB145: The small, moving dot at centre
Space Safety

Halloween asteroid gives us a miss, confirms ESA

28/10/2015 22107 views 127 likes
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Story
The growing problem of space debris
Space Safety

Developing anti-space debris technologies

27/10/2015 7566 views 37 likes
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Story
Returning to Earth
Space Safety

Reentry data will help improve prediction models

23/10/2015 55053 views 115 likes
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Story
Using its laser altimeter Hera scans Didymoon's surface
Space Safety

AIMing a light across millions of kilometres

13/10/2015 8710 views 101 likes
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Story
Picture perfect liftoff
Space Safety

Making (less of) an impact

25/09/2015 2058 views 35 likes
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Story
Clean Space logo
Space Safety

Life Cycle Assessment training at ESA

25/09/2015 5726 views 17 likes
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Story
AIM mission objectives
Space Safety

The AIM of the Meeting

22/09/2015 1595 views 4 likes
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Story
Space Safety

Right on target

22/09/2015 1673 views 2 likes
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Story
Ferran Valencia Bel
Space Safety

Green propellants need to match performance benchmarks: Fer…

27/07/2015 3138 views 11 likes
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Story
Chelyabinsk sky rendering
Space Safety

Helping Europe prepare for asteroid risk

30/06/2015 6798 views 66 likes
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Story
Infrared imaging of the impact crater
Space Safety

Telescopes focus on target of ESA’s asteroid mission

30/06/2015 6802 views 65 likes
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Story
Hera arriving at Didymos
Space Safety

Optimisation experts challenged to set course of future mis…

29/06/2015 664 views 3 likes
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Story
Space debris around Earth
Space Safety

ESA invites ideas to cut space debris creation

11/06/2015 11990 views 69 likes
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Story
Space debris removal
Space Safety

ESA heading towards removing space debris

02/06/2015 11014 views 89 likes
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Story
Hera in orbit
Space Safety

Design begins for ESA's Asteroid Impact Mission

15/04/2015 4201 views 37 likes
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