European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 23-member <a href="/facts/International_organization/6yJu9qNB">international organization</a> devoted to <a href="/facts/Space_exploration/2eKXYVdq">space exploration</a>. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, ESA was founded in 1975 in the context of <a href="/facts/European_integration/nrHkmsE1">European integration</a>. Its 2025 annual budget was €7.7 billion.
The ESA Human and Robotic Exploration programme includes <a href="/facts/Human_spaceflight/VgVxsGmq">human spaceflight</a> (mainly through participation in the <a href="/facts/International_Space_Station/VNPUBz9m">International Space Station</a> programme); as well as the launch and operation of crewless exploration missions to other planets such as Mars, Moon, Jupiter and Mercury, Earth observation, science and telecommunication missions, designing launch vehicles; and maintaining a major <a href="/facts/Spaceport/y2SJQ8Wr">spaceport</a>, the <a href="/facts/Guiana_Space_Centre/hp6TSJ6W">Guiana Space Centre</a> at <a href="/facts/Kourou/wvDVpjpJ">Kourou</a> (<a href="/facts/French_Guiana/aFSETEKm">French Guiana</a>). Further programmes include space safety, satellite navigation, applications and commercialisation. 
The main European launch vehicle <a href="/facts/Ariane_6/4JJaWjfb">Ariane 6</a> is operated through <a href="/facts/Arianespace/qxMUItMm">Arianespace</a> with ESA sharing in the costs of launching and further developing the launch vehicle. The agency also collaborates with <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a> to manufacture the <a href="/facts/Orion_spacecraft/nh8VQRpD">Orion spacecraft</a> <a href="/facts/European_Service_Module/M0NIWYyG">service module</a> ESM which flies on the <a href="/facts/Space_Launch_System/DbGCgH1W">Space Launch System</a>.

European Space Agency open-in-new

European Space Agency