European Space Agency (ESA)

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.

gov civilFounded 1975

Paris

www.esa.int/sme

Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The epsilon mission by ESA entered its preliminary phase on January 5, 2026.

PlanValue 3.6Jan 6, 2026Sophie Adenot e la missione epsilon ESA: primo gesto simbolico

The European Space Agency committed a total of €902.16 million to support five companies in the European Launcher Challenge.

FinancialPlanValue 4.3Jan 6, 2026Top European Launch Companies of 2025

Ye Guangfu participated in ESA's CAVES training in 2016.

GovernanceValue 1.2Jan 5, 2026China is preparing for the Moon... underground. 28 astronauts have just completed the country's first cave training mission in Chongqing. Divided into 4 groups, they spent 6 days/5 nights living in a cave in Wulong to complete tasks of cliff rappelling, mapping, isolation survival etc. Veteran astronaut Ye Guangfu (who did ESA's CAVES in 2016) commanded the training, explicitly stating it is preparation for crewed lunar landings.

Arkadia and the European Space Agency signed the initial ARIEL development contract in June 2023.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Jan 5, 2026Hydrogen peroxide thruster qualifies for ESA launcher attitude control

The European Space Agency supported ARIEL development through its Future Launchers Preparatory Programme.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Jan 5, 2026Hydrogen peroxide thruster qualifies for ESA launcher attitude control

Ian Carnelli is Head of the Systems Department at the European Space Agency (ESA).

GovernanceValue 3.0Jan 5, 2026ESA reaches new benchmark in autonomous formation flying

Matteo Guainazzi, a scientist for the XRISM project at ESA, noted that AGNs are fascinating and key targets for both XMM-Newton and XRISM.

GeneralValue 1.2Jan 4, 2026Venti ultraveloci da un buco nero supermassiccio in NGC 3783

XRISM is a mission led by JAXA with ESA and NASA participation.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 3.5Jan 4, 2026Venti ultraveloci da un buco nero supermassiccio in NGC 3783

In April 2025, Thales Alenia Space ordered four coupling mechanisms for the ESA's habitable module included in the future Lunar Gateway space station.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.0Jan 3, 2026Redwire proporcionará mecanismos de acoplamiento a la cápsula Nyx

The IBDM was developed by QinetiQ Space under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded in 2014.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Jan 3, 2026Redwire proporcionará mecanismos de acoplamiento a la cápsula Nyx

Don Pettit provided a class in the full-scale ISS mockup for the ESA astronaut.

GovernanceValue 1.0Jan 2, 2026RT by @Cosmic_Penguin: _-_ Diary of an ESA astronaut _-_ {USA 🇺🇸} Training weeks 77, 78 & 79 🧑‍🚀 Crew training with @SpaceX teams. We rehearsed nominal, contingency, and emergency scenarios across all phases of dynamic flight – over and over! Launch, free flight in orbit, docking, undocking, reentry, splashdown and recovery. Sometimes we train with only our instructors; other times we train with the Space X (MCC-X) and Houston (MCC-H) control center teams – mission director, “core”/“capcom”, systems engineers, etc. -> everyone who will be behind console on the day of the event! It is fascinating to see everyone working together. 🤩 One class with Don Pettit in the full scale ISS mockup. Thank you so much, @astro_Pettit, for sharing all your tips & tricks. It’s a privilege to learn from an astronaut with so much experience! ✅ Remote training with @JAXA_en teams to ensure we can work efficiently in Kibo, the Japanese module onboard the ISS. We refreshed our memory on some procedures, and deepened our understanding of some experiments. 🩺 Medical emergencies: we rehearsed key procedures. Practice is key should any medical issues arise. I also did another blood draw on myself! 📷 SpaceX/NASA/ESA: with my amazing commander @Astro_Jessica 🤩🤗 #εpsilon #crew12

The ESA astronaut performed a blood draw on themselves during training.

GeneralValue 1.8Jan 2, 2026RT by @Cosmic_Penguin: _-_ Diary of an ESA astronaut _-_ {USA 🇺🇸} Training weeks 77, 78 & 79 🧑‍🚀 Crew training with @SpaceX teams. We rehearsed nominal, contingency, and emergency scenarios across all phases of dynamic flight – over and over! Launch, free flight in orbit, docking, undocking, reentry, splashdown and recovery. Sometimes we train with only our instructors; other times we train with the Space X (MCC-X) and Houston (MCC-H) control center teams – mission director, “core”/“capcom”, systems engineers, etc. -> everyone who will be behind console on the day of the event! It is fascinating to see everyone working together. 🤩 One class with Don Pettit in the full scale ISS mockup. Thank you so much, @astro_Pettit, for sharing all your tips & tricks. It’s a privilege to learn from an astronaut with so much experience! ✅ Remote training with @JAXA_en teams to ensure we can work efficiently in Kibo, the Japanese module onboard the ISS. We refreshed our memory on some procedures, and deepened our understanding of some experiments. 🩺 Medical emergencies: we rehearsed key procedures. Practice is key should any medical issues arise. I also did another blood draw on myself! 📷 SpaceX/NASA/ESA: with my amazing commander @Astro_Jessica 🤩🤗 #εpsilon #crew12

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope witnessed catastrophic collisions in a nearby planetary system for the first time.

GeneralValue 2.2Jan 2, 2026Hubble pinpoints asteroid smash ups in nearby Fomalhaut system

The European Space Agency has selected to proceed with a Danish-led satellite mission called Máni.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Jan 2, 2026Denmark’s First Mission to the Moon Gets ESA Greenlight

The ESA astronaut trained with instructors and the SpaceX and Houston control center teams.

The ESA astronaut rehearsed nominal, contingency, and emergency scenarios across all phases of dynamic flight.

CapabilityGeneralValue 2.0Jan 2, 2026RT by @Cosmic_Penguin: _-_ Diary of an ESA astronaut _-_ {USA 🇺🇸} Training weeks 77, 78 & 79 🧑‍🚀 Crew training with @SpaceX teams. We rehearsed nominal, contingency, and emergency scenarios across all phases of dynamic flight – over and over! Launch, free flight in orbit, docking, undocking, reentry, splashdown and recovery. Sometimes we train with only our instructors; other times we train with the Space X (MCC-X) and Houston (MCC-H) control center teams – mission director, “core”/“capcom”, systems engineers, etc. -> everyone who will be behind console on the day of the event! It is fascinating to see everyone working together. 🤩 One class with Don Pettit in the full scale ISS mockup. Thank you so much, @astro_Pettit, for sharing all your tips & tricks. It’s a privilege to learn from an astronaut with so much experience! ✅ Remote training with @JAXA_en teams to ensure we can work efficiently in Kibo, the Japanese module onboard the ISS. We refreshed our memory on some procedures, and deepened our understanding of some experiments. 🩺 Medical emergencies: we rehearsed key procedures. Practice is key should any medical issues arise. I also did another blood draw on myself! 📷 SpaceX/NASA/ESA: with my amazing commander @Astro_Jessica 🤩🤗 #εpsilon #crew12

The ESA astronaut trained with SpaceX teams during training weeks 77, 78, and 79.

PlanValue 1.8Jan 2, 2026RT by @Cosmic_Penguin: _-_ Diary of an ESA astronaut _-_ {USA 🇺🇸} Training weeks 77, 78 & 79 🧑‍🚀 Crew training with @SpaceX teams. We rehearsed nominal, contingency, and emergency scenarios across all phases of dynamic flight – over and over! Launch, free flight in orbit, docking, undocking, reentry, splashdown and recovery. Sometimes we train with only our instructors; other times we train with the Space X (MCC-X) and Houston (MCC-H) control center teams – mission director, “core”/“capcom”, systems engineers, etc. -> everyone who will be behind console on the day of the event! It is fascinating to see everyone working together. 🤩 One class with Don Pettit in the full scale ISS mockup. Thank you so much, @astro_Pettit, for sharing all your tips & tricks. It’s a privilege to learn from an astronaut with so much experience! ✅ Remote training with @JAXA_en teams to ensure we can work efficiently in Kibo, the Japanese module onboard the ISS. We refreshed our memory on some procedures, and deepened our understanding of some experiments. 🩺 Medical emergencies: we rehearsed key procedures. Practice is key should any medical issues arise. I also did another blood draw on myself! 📷 SpaceX/NASA/ESA: with my amazing commander @Astro_Jessica 🤩🤗 #εpsilon #crew12

Ian Carnelli is the head of the systems department at the European Space Agency.

GovernanceValue 3.5Jan 1, 2026ESA Confirms Proba-3 Autonomous Formation Flying Milestone

The European Space Agency released footage on December 18 confirming Proba-3 achieved autonomous formation flying with millimeter-level precision.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Jan 1, 2026ESA Confirms Proba-3 Autonomous Formation Flying Milestone

NASA and the European Space Agency used space probes with better viewing geometry to observe 3I/ATLAS during its solar conjunction in late 2025.

GeneralCapabilityValue 3.5Dec 31, 2025Scoperte astronomiche del 2025: cosa abbiamo imparato sull’universo

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