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.
The improved carbon fiber upper stage is planned to have its first flight between 2025 and 2030, contingent on ESA budget provisions.
The compromise on P120 production was reached during a 2018-05-17-18 meeting of the ESA launcher program board in Frascati, Italy.
PTScientists plans a later mission in cooperation with the European Space Agency in the 2020s to test the ability to access and use water ice resources at the lunar poles.
Goonhilly won a contract from the European Space Agency to upgrade the 32-meter dish at its facility to support the agency’s deep space missions.
Croatia’s cooperation agreement with ESA provides a first five-year period during which Croatia can exchange knowledge with European partners, create a national space strategy, and establish necessary infrastructure ahead of potential full ESA membership.
On 2018-04-26, ESA and NASA signed a statement of intent to study potential cooperation in aspects of the Mars sample return architecture during an international workshop in Berlin.
The European Space Agency relies on Vega, the light-lift rocket produced mainly in Italy and operated by the European launch consortium Arianespace, for future launches formerly served by Rockot.
ESA’s Copernicus satellites launched on Rockot include Sentinel-3A in February 2016, Sentinel-5P in October 2017, and Sentinel-3B in April 2018.
The European Space Agency decided in 2014 on Ariane 6 and Vega C as Europe’s next-generation launch vehicles.
Avio, ArianeGroup, Arianespace, CNES, and ESA agreed in 2016 to reshape allocation of responsibilities at Kourou toward greater industry responsibility.
The Small Spacecraft Mission System (SSMS) adapter was developed by the European Space Agency to accommodate 10 to 15 smallsats per launch.
Arianespace scheduled its next mission for July 2018 to launch four Galileo navigation satellites for the European Commission and the European Space Agency.
The development of the Viasat phased array was supported in part by the European Space Agency through a public–private partnership between Viasat and ESA that began in November 2017.