Agence spatiale européenne
The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to space exploration, with 22 member states. Founded in 1975, ESA shapes Europe's space capabilities, ensuring investments in space deliver benefits to European citizens, working across the entire space sector. ESA develops and operates Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications, and astronomy satellites and sends probes to explore the solar system, partnering with agencies like NASA, JAXA and commercial partners like Airbus. Key programs include the development of launch vehicles like Ariane and Vega, the Galileo satellite navigation system, and missions like Rosetta and BepiColombo.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Galileo was built through the European Space Agency and is managed by the European Commission.
The European Space Agency reports that the Sentinel-5P spacecraft launched a year ago is providing daily measurements of greenhouse gases.
ESA launched the first Q- and V-band payload onboard AlphaSat in 2013 as an experimental payload.
European manufacturers have won at least four contracts with the ESA-sponsored Neosat next-generation platform since 2015, including Konnect, Konnect VHTS, and Eutelsat’s two Hot Bird replacements.
ESA’s current key technology focuses include the growth path from high-throughput satellites to very-high-throughput and ultra-high-throughput satellites, LEO and MEO constellations, 0.005 kg, and space and security.
The European Space Agency has funded satellite telecom technology development for 25 years and currently spends 400 to 500,000,000 EUR annually to support Europe’s satellite sector.
ESA planned the shipment of the first service module on 2018-10-29, with final testing able to delay the shipment by up to one week.
Blue Origin is supporting The Moon Race initiative alongside the European Space Agency and Airbus to foster the next generation of lunar exploration using Blue Moon and New Glenn.
ESA is developing an efficient, reliable launcher family consisting of Vega C, Ariane 62, and Ariane 64.
ESA has discussed developing and producing some parts of the Lunar Gateway with NASA and ESA member states.
ESA initiated the Aeolus program in 1999 and originally intended to launch the satellite in 2007.
The European Space Agency’s Aeolus wind sensor captured its first wind data that demonstrate the sensor is working as designed.
ESA launched the 1,360-kilogram Aeolus satellite on 2018-08-22 from Kourou, French Guiana on Europe’s Vega rocket.
The European Space Agency has a science satellite prepared to launch on an Ariane 6.
The European Space Agency signed a 75,000,000 EUR contract with ArianeGroup in December for the first two Prometheus prototypes.
GomSpace has produced thousands of components for commercial, academic, defense, and security markets, including for ESA and NASA.
ESA and Airbus shipped the Aeolus satellite from Europe to French Guiana by boat instead of by plane to avoid damage from air pressure variations.
In 2014 the European Space Agency approved a six-year roadmap to develop two next-generation rockets, Ariane 6 and Vega C.
European officials have expressed concern that some ESA member states, such as Luxembourg with GovSat-1, have chosen to launch satellites on non-European rockets.
ESA awarded ArianeGroup €75 million in December (year unspecified in the source) to begin production of the first two Prometheus engines.