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.
ESA’s budget is set to increase by 32% to EUR 22.3 billion for 2026 to 2028.
ESA Member States endorsed the ESA Provided Institutional Crew mission on 19 March after the 345th ESA Council meeting in Paris.
The ESA Council designated Tanja Permozer and Kimmo Kanto as Vice-Chairs of the ESA Council.
ESA has approached Australia to participate in the ESA Provided Institutional Crew programme.
ESA opened a Phi-Lab in Vienna in 2024 to help commercialize startups.
The ESA–State Space Agency of Ukraine project fund builds on an implementation arrangement signed on 30 October 2025.
ESA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Canada and the UAE in late 2024 to foster collaboration in space exploration.
ESA Phi-Labs provide mentoring, access to infrastructure, and initial funding to reduce technological and business risk.
The ESA Council renewed Dietmar Pilz as Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality for a second four-year term running until 30 April 2031.
ESA member states approved collaboration with the Carnegie Institution for Science to host and operate ESA’s FlyEye-2 telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher signed funding arrangements with the Swedish National Space Agency and the UK Space Agency to provide additional national contributions to the ESA–State Space Agency of Ukraine project fund.
Massimo Panzeri of the European Space Agency said that attacks on space infrastructure are steadily increasing.
ESA member states approved ESA-JAXA cooperation on Ramses, a mission intended to study asteroid Apophis.
The ESA-CAS SMILE mission is scheduled to launch on Vega-C VV29 on April 9, 2026 at 06:29 UTC.
The ESA Council designated Juan Carlos Cortés Pulido as Chair of the ESA Council.
The European Space Agency’s Villafranca del Castillo ground station near Madrid regained contact with the Coronagraph spacecraft in the Proba-3 mission after more than a month of lost communication.
ESA member states reviewed preparations for the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034.
SMILE is a joint ESA-CAS mission.
ESA intends to purchase a dedicated SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the International Space Station for its astronauts.
Austria increased its contribution to the European Space Agency by 48% at the ESA Council of Ministers in November, from €227 million in 2022 to €336 million.