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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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Latest

Week in images: 07-11 April 2025

Discover our week through the lens

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Science & Exploration

From boring to bursting: a giant black hole awakens

11/04/2025 5305 views 46 likes

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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 4490 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.

Science & Exploration

Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe

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Programmes

Space Science Human and Robotic Exploration

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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

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

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Asteroids

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Space Safety

ESA Space Environment Report 2025

01/04/2025 11901 views 34 likes

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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

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Applications

Biomass fully loaded

10/04/2025 1620 views 24 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 4089 views

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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

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Enabling & Support

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

10/04/2025 1211 views 29 likes

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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 2445 views

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Agency

Ny forsinkelse for Rosetta

27/02/2004 14435 views 1 likes

ESA / Space in Member States / Norway

Den planlagte oppskytningen av kometsonden Rosetta fra Kourou 26. februar klokken 08.37 norsk tid måtte utsettes på grunn av for sterk vind i høye luftlag. Meningen var å prøve på nytt i dag, men heller ikke det lyktes.

Årsaken denne gang var at et lite stykke (10x15 cm) isolasjonsmateriale hadde falt ut av belegget som omgir drivstofftankene i Ariane 5 bærerakettens kjernetrinn. Feilen ble oppdaget før drivstoffyllingen var begynt, men for å foreta reparasjonen må raketten flyttes tilbake til Monteringsbygningen. Og når et nytt stykke isolasjonsmateriale er satt på plass, må ”limet” tørke/herdes i omkring 36 timer.

Nedtellingen for Flight 158 forventes gjenopptatt tidlig neste uke.

About ESA

Highlights

ESA - United space in Europe

Establishments & sites

Working with ESA

More about ESA

Latest

Space in Member States

Science & Exploration

Programmes

Astronauts

Missions

Activities

Latest

Space Safety

About safety and security

Asteroids

Space junk

Safety from space

Space weather

Latest

Applications

Observing the Earth

Connectivity

Satellite navigation

Commercialisation

Latest

Enabling & Support

Building missions

Space transportation

Flying missions

Latest

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