ESA - Our Missions Mission Navigator name date Mission Applications Aeolus Launched: 2018 Mapping Earth's global wind fields Open Mission Applications Alphasat Launched: 2013 Innovative satellite telecommunications platform Open Mission Applications Altius Launch: 2027 ESA's ozone mission Open Mission Applications Arctic Weather Satellite Launch: 2024 Improving Arctic and global weather forecasts Open Mission Science & Exploration ARD Launched: 1998 First European experimental reentry vehicle Open Mission Enabling & Support Ariane First launch: 1979 Commercial launcher securing Europe’s non-dependent space access Open Mission Science & Exploration Ariel Launch: 2031 Analysing exoplanet atmospheres Open Mission Applications Artemis Launched: 2001 Technology demonstration for telecommunications Open Mission Science & Exploration ATV Launched: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Space truck for ISS resupply Open Mission Science & Exploration BepiColombo Launch: 2018 Europe’s first mission to Mercury Open Mission Applications Biomass Launch: 2025 Measuring forest biomass Open Mission Science & Exploration Cassini-Huygens Launched: 1997 Mission to Saturn and its moon Titan Open Mission Applications Celeste Launches: 2025-2027 Resilience and robustness for navigation Open Mission Science & Exploration Chandrayaan-1 Launched: 2008 Journey to the Moon Open Mission Science & Exploration Cheops Launch: 2019 Studying planets around other stars Open Mission Space Safety ClearSpace-1 Launch: 2026 Removing a piece of space debris from orbit for the first time Open Mission Science & Exploration Cluster Launched: 2000 Space plasma physics in 3D Open Mission Science & Exploration Columbus Launched: 2008 Europe’s ISS research laboratory Open Mission Science & Exploration Comet Interceptor Launch: early 2029 Visiting a pristine comet Open Mission Applications Copernicus Sentinel family First launch: 2014 A portfolio of operational Earth observation missions Open Mission Science & Exploration Corot Launched: 2006 Measuring 'starquakes' and searching for planets around other stars Open Mission Science & Exploration Cos-B Launched: 1975 ESA’s first gamma-ray astronomy mission Open Mission Applications CryoSat Launched: 2005 (failed), 2010 Measuring polar-ice thickness Open Mission Science & Exploration Double Star Launched: December 2003 and July 2004 Studying how the Sun affects Earth's magnetic environment Open Mission Applications EarthCARE Launch: 2024 Studying the roles of clouds and aerosols in our climate Open Mission Applications ECS series Launched: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 Operational European telecommunications satellites Open Mission Applications EDRS First launch: 2016 Geostationary satellites for relaying satellite data Open Mission Applications EGNOS First launch: 2000 Leading the way in navigation safety Open Mission Science & Exploration Einstein Probe Launched: 2024 Monitoring the Universe in X-ray light Open Mission Applications Envisat Launched: 2002 10-instrument environmental satellite Open Mission Science & Exploration Envision Launch: 2030s Understanding why Venus is so different from Earth Open Mission Applications ERS-1 & -2 Launched: 1991, 1995 Radar-based Earth observation Open Mission Science & Exploration ESRO series Launched: 1967 (failed), 1968, 1969, 1972 Scientific exploration of space’s particle and radiation environment Open Mission Science & Exploration Euclid Launch: 2023 Exploring the dark Universe Open Mission Science & Exploration Eureca Launched: 1992 Reusable free-flying microgravity testbed Open Mission Science & Exploration European Robotic Arm Launch: 2021 Robotic arm serving Russian segment of ISS Open Mission Science & Exploration Exomars Launch: 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (2016) and Rosalind Franklin rover mission (launch date TBC) Open Mission Science & Exploration Exosat Launched: 1983 European X-ray observatory satellite Open Mission Applications Flex Launch: 2026 Global vegetation health Open Mission Applications FORUM Launch: 2027 Measuring Earth's thermal radiation Open Mission Science & Exploration Gaia Launched: 2013 ESA’s billion-star surveyor Open Mission Applications Galileo First launch: 2011 Europe's global satellite navigation system Open Mission Applications Genesis Launch: 2028 A flying observatory to measure Earth down to the millimetre Open Mission Science & Exploration GEOS-1 & -2 Launched: 1977, 1978 Probing dynamics of Earth’s magnetic field, waves and particles Open Mission Science & Exploration Giotto Launched: 1985 Intercepting Comet Halley and Comet Grigg–Skjellerup Open Mission Applications Giove-a & b Launched: 2005, 2008 Technology demonstration for Galileo Open Mission Applications GOCE Launched: 2009 Mapping Earth's gravity Open Mission Science & Exploration HEOS-1 & -2 Launched: 1968 & 1972 Probing Earth's magnetic field and the interplanetary medium Open Mission Space Safety Hera Launch: 2024 Examining the first test of asteroid deflection Open Mission Science & Exploration Herschel Launched: 2009 Far-infrared astronomy mission Open Mission Science & Exploration Hipparcos Launched: 1989 Mapping the positions of more than 100 000 stars Open Mission Science & Exploration Hubble Launched: 1990 Observing the infrared, visible & ultraviolet Universe Open Mission Applications Hylas-1 Launched: 2010 Broadband services in public-private partnership Open Mission Science & Exploration Integral Launched: 2002 Extreme Universe surveyor Open Mission Science & Exploration ISEE-2 Launched: 1977 Charting Sun–Earth relations and magnetic field Open Mission Science & Exploration ISO Launched: 1995 Infrared Space Observatory Open Mission Science & Exploration IUE Launched: 1978 International Ultraviolet Explorer Open Mission Enabling & Support IXV Launched: 2015 Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle Open Mission Science & Exploration Juice Launch: 2023 Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Open Mission Science & Exploration LISA Launch: 2035 First gravitational wave detector in space Open Mission Science & Exploration LISA Pathfinder Launched: 2015 Technology demonstration for gravitational wave detection Open Mission Applications Marecs series Launched: 1981, 1982 (failed), 1984 Maritime telecommunications satellites Open Mission Science & Exploration Mars Express Launched: 2003 Europe's first Red Planet orbiter Open Mission Applications Meteosat Launched: 1977, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2015 First and second generation Open Mission Applications MetOp series Launched: 2006, 2012, 2018 Polar meteorological services Open Mission Applications MetOp-SG Series First launch: 2025 MetOp Second Generation Open Mission Science & Exploration MMX Launch: 2026 Martian moons exploration Open Mission Applications Moonlight First launch: 2026 Pioneering lunar connectivity and navigation Open Mission Applications MTG series First launch: 2022 Meteosat Third Generation Open Mission Applications Neosat First launch: 2019 Next-generation telecom satellite platform Open Mission Science & Exploration NewAthena Launch: 2037 Sharp focus on the X-ray Universe Open Mission Applications Olympus Launched: 1989 Technology demonstration for telecommunications Open Mission Enabling & Support OPS-SAT Launch: 2019 In-orbit technology experiments Open Mission Applications OTS-1 & -2 Launched: 1977 (failed), 1978 Demonstrating technologies for telecommunications Open Mission Science & Exploration Planck Launched: 2009 Mapping the cosmic microwave background Open Mission Science & Exploration Plato Launch: 2026 Terrestrial planet hunter Open Mission Enabling & Support Proba series Launched: 2001, 2009, 2013 Technology demonstration microsatellites Open Mission Enabling & Support Proba-2 Launched: 2009 Open Mission Enabling & Support Proba-3 Launched: 2024 Precise formation flying mission Open Mission Applications Quantum First launch: 2019 The ‘chameleon’ telecom satellite Open Mission Science & Exploration Roman Launch: 2026 Space telescope exploring dark energy, exoplanets, and astrophysics Open Mission Science & Exploration Rosetta Launched: 2004 Following a comet around the Sun Open Mission Applications SAT-AIS First launch: 2019 Microsatellites for identifying and tracking ships Open Mission Applications Scouts First launch: 2025 ESA’s agile research missions Open Mission Applications SmallGEO First launch: 2017 New small platform for geostationary telecommunications Open Mission Science & Exploration SMART-1 Launched: 2003 Experimental Moon mission Open Mission Science & Exploration Smile Launch: 2026 Imaging Earth’s magnetic environment Open Mission Applications SMOS Launched: 2009 Measuring soil moisture and ocean salinity Open Mission Science & Exploration SOHO Launched: 1995 Continuous observation of the Sun Open Mission Science & Exploration Solar Orbiter Launch: 2020 Europe’s closest mission to the Sun Open Mission Enabling & Support Space Rider First launch: 2024 Europe’s reusable space transport system Open Mission Science & Exploration Spacelab First launched: 1983 Laboratory module for NASA’s Space Shuttle; 22 launches Open Mission Applications Swarm Launched: 2013 Trio of satellites mapping Earth’s magnetic field Open Mission Science & Exploration TD-1 Launched: 1972 UV, X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy Open Mission Applications TRUTHS Launch: 2030 The gold standard reference for climate measurements Open Mission Science & Exploration Ulysses Launched: 1990 Charting space above and below the Sun’s poles Open Mission Enabling & Support Vega First launch: 2012 Europe’s light satellite launcher Open Mission Science & Exploration Venus Express Launched: 2005 Europe’s first Venus orbiter Open Mission Space Safety Vigil Launch: mid-2020’s Monitoring our unpredictable Sun to protect Earth Open Mission Science & Exploration Webb Launch: 2021 Seeing farther into the Universe than ever before Open Mission Science & Exploration XMM-Newton Launched: 1999 Exploring the hot and extreme Universe in X-rays Open Mission Science & Exploration XRISM Launched: 2023 The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission Open Mission Enabling & Support YPSat Launch: 2024 Young Professional Satellite to document Ariane 6’s inaugural launch Open Mission Applications Φsat-2 Launched 2024 Enhancing onboard AI processing Open Mission Applications Ф-sat Launch: 2020 Artificial intelligence for Earth observation Open European Space Agency FAQ Contacts Terms and conditions Privacy notice Careers at ESA Subscribe