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.
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Under its ESA contract, Exobiosphere will provide end-to-end mission services that include selecting science experiments, preparing the mission, overseeing experiments in orbit, and returning data to Earth.
Exobiosphere signed a contract with ESA to operate biotech experiments aboard Vast’s Haven-1 space station.
Spain has committed to contribute 1.854 billion euros to the ESA between 2026 and 2030.
The ESA MELiSSA program is aimed at building regenerative ecosystems that can produce food, water, and oxygen from organic and environmental resources.
ESA awarded a Thales Alenia Space-led consortium a €522 million contract for the revised ExoMars mission in April 2024.
Spain has previously led several ESA small missions with budgets of about 300 million to 400 million euros.
Juan Carlos Cortés is expected to become president of the European Space Agency on July 1 for a three-year term.
Dassault Aviation and OHB will jointly propose the reusable Vortex-S spaceplane to the European Space Agency.
Spain wants to lead ESA medium missions with budgets of about 700 million euros.
Thales Alenia Space shipped the structural models for ESA’s ExoMars mission to its Cannes facility for vibration and acoustic testing.
The European Space Agency’s Consolidation Phase for IRIS² Low LEO activities is open for bids through June 1.
ESA expected successful bidders for the LEO Cargo Return Service initiative to launch a demonstration mission to the International Space Station by 2028.
JAXA participates in ESA’s Hera mission and in joint ESA-JAXA missions such as EarthCARE and BepiColombo.
ESA published a Phase 2 call for the LEO Cargo Return Service project in early 2026.
ESA selected OHB Italia as the prime contractor for the Ramses mission.
In May 2024, ESA awarded Phase 1 contracts to The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space.
Dassault Aviation and OHB intend to submit a joint proposal to the European Space Agency for the VORTEX-S multipurpose spaceplane.
Each Phase 1 contract from ESA was worth €25 million.
ESA’s Space Safety Programme includes the Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre, which monitors asteroid threats and refines orbital predictions.
ESA will oversee the design, integration, and operations of the Ramses spacecraft.