Science is the underpinning theme of ESA. It drives innovation and leads to progress and economic development. It inspires future generations of scientists and engineers, and it drives global information exchange and communication.
Space science makes us look outwards from our planet, to the stars and beyond. It’s a subject that strives to answer the ultimate questions: How did our Earth and our Solar System form and evolve? What is our place in the Universe? Where are we going? Where did life come from, and are we alone?
By studying the other planets in our own Solar System, we can try to place Earth in context. ESA has already sent spacecraft to Earth’s nearest planetary neighbours – Mars and Venus – to understand why they evolved so differently, and in the next decade we’ll be unlocking the secrets of the innermost planet, Mercury, too. The gas giants, and in particular Jupiter with its four large moons – some of which may harbour underground oceans – is also key to piece together the Solar System evolution. Unravelling the behaviour of our parent star, the Sun, is another crucial element to decipher our cosmic origins. And as more and more planets are found orbiting other stars, understanding our own cosmic neighbourhood has never been so important.
What about the origin of the Universe itself? If we could ‘see’ microwaves, the night sky would glow with the very first light ever released into space. This is the relic radiation of the Big Bang – the event that set the beginning to the Universe itself. With our space science missions we can tease out the details of the Universe’s earliest moments, seek out the very first stars and galaxies, and learn about the fabric of space and time. These incredible space observatories can also give us clues as to the future destiny of our Milky Way galaxy, and the Universe itself.
ESA’s space science missions provide access to the largest science laboratory we have ever known: our Universe!
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