The European Space Agency (ESA), an international organization dedicated to the exploration of space was founded on May 30, 1975.
Shortly after its formation, on August 9, 1975, the space agency ESA launched its first major scientific mission, Cos-B, a space probe monitoring gamma-ray emissions in the universe, which was first worked on by ESRO (European Space Research Organization, one of the precursors of the European Space Agency).
Today’s (May 30) story of what happened this day in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration history.
European Space Agency: Europe’s Gateway to Space
According to the space agency’s website, “The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.”
ESA’s Headquarters are located in Paris.
According to the ESA website, the European Space Agency’s activities are:
- Observing the Earth
- Human Spaceflight
- Launchers
- Navigation
- Space Science
- Space Engineering & Technology
- Operations
- Telecommunications & Integrated Applications
- Preparing for the Future
- Space for Climate
European Space Agency Members
The full members are (Country: Member Since, Country’s Space Agency):
- Austria: 30 December 1986, FFG
- Belgium: 3 October 1978, BELSPRO
- Czech Republic: 12 November 2008, Ministry of Transport
- Denmark: 15 September 1977, DTU Space
- Estonia: 4 February 2015, ESO
- Finland: 1 January 1995, TEM
- France: 30 October 1980, CNES
- Germany: 26 July 1977, DLR
- Greece: 9 March 2005, HSA
- Hungary: 24 February 2015, HSO
- Republic of Ireland: 10 December 1980, EI
- Italy: 20 February 1978, ASI
- Luxembourg: 30 June 2005, Luxinnovation
- Netherlands: 6 February 1979, NSO
- Norway: 30 December 1986, NSA
- Poland: 19 November 2012, POLSA
- Portugal: 14 November, FCT
- Romania: 22 December 2011, ROSA
- Spain: 7 February 1979, INTA
- Sweden: 6 April 1976, SNSA
- Switzerland: 19 November 1976, SSO
- United Kingdom: 28 March 1978, UKSA
May 30 in Science, Technology, Astronomy, and Space Exploration history
- 1975: The European Space Agency (ESA) was founded.
- 1971: Mariner 9, the first spacecraft to orbit Mars was launched.
Sources
- European Space Agency official website
- European Space Agency on Wikipedia
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