The largest facility of the European Space Agency. Located in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, ESTEC tests a spacecraft and its payload and instruments for extreme stresses before the launch. ESTEC has clean rooms with a Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF) for testing launcher noise levels and a large space simulator (LSS) to test space temperature conditions. There are also electromagnetic and electrostatic facilities and a compact payload test range. A hydra multi-axis shaker and electrodynamic shakers are used to simulate vibrations of the launcher.

ESTEC also has several laboratories, including microgravity and materials, mechanical, thermal, software, and robotic facilities.

http://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESTEC/ESTEC_European_Space_Research_and_Technology_Centre Great information about ESTEC, including how it develops a mission and publications.