Welcome home, Sophie! After nearly eight months on the International Space Station, our astronaut Sophie Adenot has returned to Europe. She will now begin post-flight recovery and research activities at our European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. Thank you to all the teams and partners who helped make this mission a success. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ewaZK6KN
European Space Agency - ESA
Space Research and Technology
Paris, Île-de-France 996,177 followers
About us
We are the European Space Agency. Our mission is the peaceful exploration and use of space for the benefit of everyone. We watch over Earth, develop and launch inspiring space projects, train astronauts and push the boundaries of science and technology, seeking answers to the big questions about the Universe. We are scientists, engineers and business professionals from all over Europe working together in a diverse and multinational environment. We are dedicated to united space in Europe and united Europe in space.
- Website
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http://www.esa.int
External link for European Space Agency - ESA
- Industry
- Space Research and Technology
- Company size
- 1,001-5,000 employees
- Headquarters
- Paris, Île-de-France
- Type
- Government Agency
- Founded
- 1975
- Specialties
- Space, Science, Navigation, Earth Observation, Communications, Manned Space Flight, System Engineering, Innovative, Inspirational, Aspirational, Rockets, Materials, Astronomy, Simulation, System Engineering, Concurrent Engineering, Testing, Hardware, Software, Training, Information Technology, GNSS, Galileo, IT and Security, and Cyber
Locations
Employees at European Space Agency - ESA
Updates
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European Space Agency - ESA reposted this
Exploration was on everyone’s minds at #IAC2026 this week. And that matters, because decisions are being taken now that will determine Europe's role in explorarion for decades to come. What is needed now is to define a true European way forward that preserves our ability to choose how we engage in space and creates the conditions our industry needs to grow and shine. Over the coming months, Europe has a real tangible opportunity to decide how this will play out. Greater European capability requires the political will to make big decisions, now. The more capabilities Europe builds, the stronger a partner it can be. The opportunity is here. Now is the moment for Europe to decide how ambitious we want to be. Next step is the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting taking place mid December in Rome, and then taking the political direction received there to form our packages for Council Ministerial 2028. As always, I will keep you informed.
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Mission accomplished. ✅ After 237 days in space, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot has returned safely to Earth, concluding her record-breaking #εpsilon mission packed with science, technology demonstrations and three spacewalks. Welcome home, Sophie!! 🔗https://lnkd.in/exa_eGYg NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
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European Space Agency - ESA reposted this
First images are in! 🛰️ Copernicus Sentinel-3C has sent back its first images of Earth, just a few weeks after its launch. Its Ocean and Land Colour Instrument has captured Italy, the Canadian Arctic and the Caribbean, while its radar altimeter has begun returning measurements of sea-surface height over the Atlantic and Mediterranean. These first acquisitions mark an important step towards operational service, as Sentinel-3C prepares to continue the Sentinel-3 mission’s long-term monitoring of our oceans, land, ice and atmosphere. Developed by the European Space Agency - ESA for the European Commission as part of Copernicus, Sentinel-3C is currently undergoing commissioning before entering operational service, after which the mission will be jointly managed by ESA and EUMETSAT. 🔗 Explore more: https://lnkd.in/eTnxZjKV 📷 contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2026), processed by ESA 📷 contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2026), processed by Eumetsat
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Getting ready for Mars 👀 Ahead of Rosalind Franklin's journey to Mars in 2030, the ExoMars team put a rover prototype through a realistic mission rehearsal in Spain's Tabernas desert. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e7HBwHSR Airbus Defence and Space | The Open University | Altec SPA | Thales Alenia Space
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European Space Agency - ESA reposted this
An #IAC2026 check-in 📞 Catch-up on Day 3 highlights: https://lnkd.in/dH5N_Kmt
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At #IAC2026 this week? Visit our exhibition to discover our missions and meet the people behind them. 🔗https://lnkd.in/eBVmMFGr
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European Space Agency - ESA reposted this
Congratulations to Geraldine Naja on receiving the 2026 Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-Europe) Outstanding Achievement Award: a very well-deserved recognition of her remarkable contributions to the aerospace sector, her leadership, and her longstanding commitment to diversity, inclusion and inspiring future generations. In her acceptance speech, Geraldine spoke about the women who inspired her and “left the door open” for her, as well as the people who understood the importance of creating opportunity regardless of gender. She reflected on her own commitment to keeping doors open for the generations that follow and to showing young people that space is for everyone. She left us with one powerful message: when women are excluded from positions of influence and responsibility, we lose the perspectives, experience, intelligence and skills of half the population. We simply cannot afford to miss out on that talent. Congratulations again, Géraldine. Your leadership, professionalism and commitment to creating opportunities for others continue to make a difference across the European space sector and beyond. It was a pleasure working with you in your role as Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, and it has been a privilege to see your leadership continue to develop as the Director of Space Transportation at the European Space Agency - ESA.
Congratulations, Geraldine Naja! 🏆 It is with great honour that we announce Géraldine Naja, Director of Space Transportation at European Space Agency - ESA, as the recipient of the 2026 WIA-Europe Outstanding Achievement Award. Géraldine joined ESA in 1987 and has dedicated nearly four decades to the European space sector, holding strategic, managerial and institutional roles across the Agency. The award recognises her exceptional career, leadership and longstanding contribution to European space. We will present it at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2026 in Antalya on Wednesday 7 October, straight after our "Women Space Entrepreneurs" session (09:45 to 10:45, TRT / UTC+3). Stay connected with WIA-Europe, as we will soon hear more from Géraldine about her exceptional career in a spotlight interview. Please join us in congratulating Géraldine! Read more: https://lnkd.in/eDX3KGWq #WIAEurope #OutstandingAchievementAward #ESA #IAC2026 #WomenInSpace
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Sophie Adenot is coming home! 🌍 Watch live as Sophie and her crewmates undock from the ISS today 7 October at around 14:05 CEST, beginning their journey back to Earth. 🔗https://lnkd.in/epCtdnDg NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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European Space Agency - ESA reposted this
Day 2 at #IAC2026 reinforced a simple but important message: alone we go quicker, together we go farther. Throughout the day, I had the opportunity to meet with counterparts and partners from around the world, including NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the UAE Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency | Agence spatiale canadienne and the Australian Space Agency. These discussions reflected a shared ambition to advance exploration, science, Earth observation and innovation for the benefit of all. We continued discussions with ISRO on how to make concrete next steps in our cooperation expansion, following the recent extension of our cooperation agreement. From human spaceflight and lunar exploration to climate and science missions, Europe and India are determined to explore new opportunities to deepen an already strong partnership. International cooperation has always been one of ESAs greatest strengths. As the space sector continues to evolve, working together across borders will be more important than ever to tackle global challenges, expand our capabilities and shape a sustainable future in space. Catch up on Day 2: https://lnkd.in/d4Qj-RX3
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