ESA title

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.

Highlights

Careers
Business with ESA
Newsroom
Education
Kids
ESA Space Shop

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

Video 00:06:15
Play
Agency

ESA School Days 2025 at ESRIN

18/04/2025 268 views 11 likes
Play
Image
Applications

Earth from Space: Giza, Egypt

18/04/2025 2446 views 29 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 948 views 21 likes
Read
Focus on
Fuelling Biomass

Week in images: 07-11 April 2025

Discover our week through the lens

Open
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 4512 views
Open

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

Go to topic

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 2405 views 13 likes
Read
Image
Science & Exploration

Hubble offers a new view of Sombrero galaxy

16/04/2025 2319 views 75 likes
Sombrero Galaxy
View
Video 00:05:23
Play
Science & Exploration

Gaia: Rewriting the story of the Milky Way

28/03/2025 2633 views 62 likes
Play
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
Open
Focus on
Science & Exploration

Space science from home: resources for children and adults

A selection of activities to pass time and learn more about space science

Open

Space Safety

Protecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit

Go to topic

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
Play
Space Safety

Media briefing: Europe's top experts address the growing th…

01/04/2025 317 views 4 likes
Play
Story
Space debris surrounding Earth
Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 12851 views 35 likes
Read
Image
Space Safety

Hera Mars flyby

10/03/2025 4640 views 86 likes
Hera Mars flyby
View
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

Open

Applications

Using space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth

Go to topic

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 2446 views 29 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 948 views 21 likes
Read
Video 00:02:18
Play
Applications

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

20/11/2024 1973 views 20 likes
Play
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
Open
Focus on
ESA Φ-week 2021
Applications

Register for Φ-week

Open

Enabling & Support

Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future

Go to topic

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 1404 views 33 likes
Read
Image
Enabling & Support

New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes

09/04/2025 1826 views 49 likes
New ESA invention tested in a chamber of no echoes
View
Video 00:02:27
Play
Enabling & Support

Proba-3 lift-off replay

05/12/2024 3272 views 64 likes
Play
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

Open
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
Open
Space Safety

archive

Space Safety
Back
Stories Videos Images
Story
Asteroid 2024 BX1 tracked prior to impact
Space Safety

Asteroid 2024 BX1 spotted three hours before impact

25/01/2024 8774 views 26 likes
Read
Story
Zero Debris key visual
Space Safety

ESA leads the way towards a Zero Debris future

14/12/2023 4625 views 62 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

Milani Patch Contest terms and conditions

13/12/2023 1464 views 1 likes
Read
Story
Milani patch contest
Space Safety

Design the patch for Hera’s Milani CubeSat

13/12/2023 5243 views 35 likes
Read
Story
Hera inside the LEAF acoustic chamber
Space Safety

Hera asteroid mission hears the noise

10/11/2023 5265 views 55 likes
Read
Story
The growing problem of space debris
Space Safety

World-first Zero Debris Charter goes live

06/11/2023 11765 views 57 likes
Read
Story
Final images of Aeolus during its brief phase as space debris
Space Safety

Final images before Aeolus demise

05/09/2023 20908 views 84 likes
Read
Story
Hera's Core Module lowered onto Propulsion Module
Space Safety

Hera asteroid spacecraft assembled

24/08/2023 5721 views 54 likes
Read
Story
ClearSpace-1 with captured Vespa
Space Safety

Objects detected in the vicinity of ClearSpace-1 debris rem…

22/08/2023 17608 views 92 likes
Read
Story
CLIP: Simulating Aeolus’s demise: a bird’s eye view
Space Safety

ESA’s Space Environment Report 2023

10/08/2023 24148 views 82 likes
Read
Story
Juventas studies asteroid's internal structure
Space Safety

Hera’s mini-radar will probe asteroid’s heart

10/08/2023 5078 views 65 likes
Read
Story
Dimorphos asteroid seen by DART
Space Safety

Imagine walking on Hera’s asteroid

30/06/2023 4570 views 78 likes
Read
Story
Hera and its CubeSats at Didymos system
Space Safety

Precision deployer to put Hera’s CubeSats into asteroid orb…

29/06/2023 3440 views 41 likes
Read
Story
GRASS gravimeter on shaker
Space Safety

Instrument to measure asteroid gravity tested for space

22/05/2023 6232 views 66 likes
Read
Story
Hera, her CubeSats, and their rocky target destination
Space Safety

What colour is an asteroid? Hyperspectral imager to find out

24/04/2023 3119 views 44 likes
Read
Story
Hera, her CubeSats, and their rocky target destination
Space Safety

Eyes on Hera: Asteroid mission’s cameras ready

23/02/2023 7541 views 111 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

Curious comet’s rare close approach

01/02/2023 35240 views 243 likes
Read
Story
Artist's impression of asteroid 21 Lutetia
Space Safety

Christmas challenge: find mystery asteroid

09/12/2022 10884 views 52 likes
Read
Story
Aten asteroids in orbit, with ESA's orbit visualisation tool
Space Safety

ESA asteroid toolkit: how to guide

09/12/2022 7654 views 21 likes
Read
Story
Time-lapse photograph of 2022 WJ1 taken by astronomer Robert Weryk in Ontario, Canada
Space Safety

The sixth asteroid impact we saw coming

24/11/2022 59002 views 142 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

European space sector commits: Earth is ours, we must cheri…

21/11/2022 8120 views 49 likes
Read
Story
Artist's impression of asteroid 21 Lutetia
Space Safety

30 000 near-Earth asteroids discovered and rising

12/10/2022 19892 views 65 likes
Read
Story
LICIACube image of asteroid ejecta
Space Safety

First kinetic impact test succeeds in shifting asteroid orb…

12/10/2022 5880 views 55 likes
Read
Story
DART's moment of impact
Space Safety

Hera team congratulates NASA asteroid impactors

27/09/2022 8692 views 85 likes
Read
Story
Plume ejects from Dimorphos as DART impacts
Space Safety

ESA to capture light from deflected asteroid’s new plume

26/09/2022 24975 views 79 likes
Read
Story
DART impacting asteroid
Space Safety

ESA deep space network tracks DART asteroid impact

20/09/2022 14917 views 104 likes
Read
Story
DART impacting Dimorphos
Space Safety

After NASA’s asteroid impact, ESA’s Hera comes next

01/09/2022 14455 views 101 likes
Read
Story
Aurorae
Space Safety

Protecting Artemis and lunar explorers from space radiation

26/08/2022 8741 views 88 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

Madrid meteor's cometary origins unearthed

09/08/2022 6737 views 63 likes
Read
Story
Artist's view of Swarm
Space Safety

Swarm dodges collision during climb to escape Sun’s wrath

14/07/2022 26742 views 181 likes
Read
Story
A busy field of stars hide once-risky asteroid 2021 QM1
Space Safety

Impact in 2052 ruled out as ESA counts down to Asteroid Day

29/06/2022 44216 views 73 likes
Read
Story
GIF from ESA's
Space Safety

ESA’s Space Environment Report 2022

22/04/2022 35680 views 81 likes
Read
Story
Space in Response to Humanitarian Crises
Space Safety

Space in Response to Humanitarian Crises

13/04/2022 1675 views 2 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety & Security at ESA
Space Safety

New home for Earth’s protectors

12/04/2022 9857 views 66 likes
Read
Story
Kleť Observatory sees asteroid 2022 EB5, 13 minutes before impact
Space Safety

Fifth asteroid ever discovered before impact

15/03/2022 19739 views 149 likes
Read
Story
Asteroid 2022 AE1 observed with the Calar Alto Schmidt telescope in Spain
Space Safety

The rise and fall of the riskiest asteroid in a decade

24/02/2022 76892 views 99 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

New laser station lights the way to debris reduction

15/02/2022 10950 views 113 likes
Read
Story
Vigil warns Earth
Space Safety

Introducing ESA Vigil: Earth’s devoted solar defender

10/02/2022 9310 views 47 likes
Read
Story
The Moon
Space Safety

Incoming! Debris enroute to the Moon

02/02/2022 15787 views 133 likes
Read
Story
Asteroid 2020 XL5 has been confirmed as the second known Earth Trojan asteroid
Space Safety

Newly discovered asteroid just second of its kind

01/02/2022 8783 views 113 likes
Read
Story
Secure connectivity
Space Safety

New cyber-security centre will safeguard ESA assets and mis…

22/12/2021 4300 views 16 likes
Read
Story
Real colour composite image of comet Leonard
Space Safety

Comet Leonard soon visible to naked eye?

08/12/2021 40856 views 151 likes
Read
Story
Solar Orbiter Earth flyby
Space Safety

ESA's riskiest flyby

25/11/2021 9073 views 80 likes
Read
Story
Solar Orbiter's Earth flyby
Space Safety

Listen to: ESA's riskiest flyby

25/11/2021 1480 views 23 likes
Read
Story
Collision Warning
Space Safety

When debris disaster strikes

18/11/2021 6910 views 89 likes
Read
Story
NASA's DART impacting asteroid
Space Safety

Planetary defenders: after NASA’s DART comes ESA’s Hera

18/11/2021 8016 views 79 likes
Read
Story
Cyber-resilience
Space Safety

European agencies team up for cyber resilience

14/10/2021 2376 views 8 likes
Read
Story
Space Safety

Scaling up ESA’s asteroid facilities

11/10/2021 5724 views 60 likes
Read
Story
Milani scans Didymos
Space Safety

CubeSat will sift asteroid secrets from reflected sunshine

30/06/2021 6203 views 53 likes
Read
Story
Milani studies asteroid dust
Space Safety

CubeSat named for pioneer of European planetary defence

30/06/2021 2890 views 26 likes
Read
< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >