ESA celebrates 50 years of European ambition in space with Spain

The ceremony will be presided over by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, and hosted by ESA Director of Science and Head of ESAC, Professor Carole Mundell, who leads ESA’s world-leading Space Science Programme.

Media representatives are welcome to attend and cover the ceremony, which will take place in the morning – exact timings to be confirmed. Media opportunities with ESA spokespeople will be available on site following the ceremony.

During the day, ESA and the Spanish Government will underscore their cooperation in space, with several activities across ESA Directorates taking place at ESAC throughout the day.

For five decades, ESA and its Member States have worked together to shape Europe’s presence in space – driving discovery, advancing technology and delivering services that benefit citizens on Earth. The event takes place at a pivotal time, as ESA and its Member States prepare for the upcoming Council at Ministerial level in November 2025 in Bremen, Germany, where Europe’s vision for the next decade in space will be defined.

ESAC is ESA’s window to the Universe, home to the Agency’s planetary, solar and astronomy missions. Over the past 20 years, it has deepened Europe’s understanding of the cosmos through completed missions such as Rosetta and Planck, and ongoing and future missions including Euclid, Solar Orbiter, Juice and LISA, while managing and sharing the data that enables new discoveries.

The anniversary offers an opportunity to celebrate Europe’s achievements in space and to look ahead to the next decades of exploration and innovation.

Please express your interest in attending the event in person by selecting and completing the relevant form by October 15, at 15:00 CEST at https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form.

https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESAC/Getting_to_ESAC

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The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.  

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.  

ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members.  

ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.  

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.  

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int