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European Space Agency
Astronomy
An organization of European countries for cooperation in space research and technology, with its headquarters in Paris. ESA establishments include the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) at Noordwijk, Netherlands; the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany, which controls European space missions; ESRIN, the centre for data from remote-sensing satellites (formerly the European Space Research Institute), at Frascati, Italy; the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) at Villanueva de la Cañada, near Madrid in Spain, the scientific operations centre for ESA’s astronomy and planetary missions; the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) in Harwell, UK; and the European Astronaut Centre at Cologne, Germany. The ESA launch site is at Kourou, French Guiana, on the Atlantic coast of South America. ESA came into being in 1975 as successor to the European Space Research Organization (ESRO) and the European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO). Its 22 member nations are: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. In addition, Canada, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia, and Slovakia are Cooperating States. http://www.esa.int Official ESA website.
Space Exploration
An organization of 22 European countries that engages in space research and technology. It was founded in 1975, with headquarters in Paris, France. The participating countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. ESA astronauts have participated in 43 space missions and stayed on the Mir space station, and help crew the International Space Station (ISS). The ESA has developed the Ariane rockets (used to launch most ESA satellites), the Spacelab scientific workshop, the Giotto space probe, and various scientific and communications satellites. It also created components for the ISS, including a robotic arm. The ESA's European Remote-Sensing Satellite ERS-2 was launched in 1995 to work in tandem with ERS-1 (launched in 1991 and retired in 2000), improving measurements of global ozone. Cassini (a joint ESA–NASA mission) launched in 1997 and orbited Saturn and its moons 2004–15; its lander Huygens, which was led by ESA, touched down successfully on the surface of Titan in 2005. The ESA's Envisat satellite was launched on 28 February 2002. Its Mars Express, launched in June 2003, discovered water ice and methane on that planet. ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft launched in 2004, arrived at Comet 67-P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in 2014, and sent its Philae lander to the comet’s surface. The Venus Express was launched in November 2005 orbiting around Venus in April 2006. The mission ended in December 2014, exceeding its planned life, having provided a comprehensive study of the planet's ionosphere and atmosphere. In 2009 ESA launched its Planck satellite (whose mission was to map the cosmic microwave background) and its Herschel Space Observatory (the largest infrared space telescope ever launched); both remained operational until 2013. In March 2016, ESA’s ExoMars craft lifted off successfully; it began orbiting Mars in October 2016, though its Schiaparelli lander failed. http://www.esa.int/ Introduction to the European Space Agency, using the format of an informative and colourful slide show detailing the history of the ESA and its current projects and future developments. Included are a large gallery of still images showing past space explorations, plus a video archive.
Geology and Earth Sciences
An organization, founded in May 1975 to replace the European Space Research Organization, that conducts space research and operates its own launch vehicles.
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