European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA)[a] is a 22-member intergovernmental body devoted to space exploration.[7] With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,200 people globally as of 2022, ESA was founded in 1975. Its 2024 annual budget was €7.8 billion.[8][4]
Not to be confused with European Union Agency for the Space Programme.Agency overview
ESA's space flight programme includes human spaceflight (mainly through participation in the International Space Station program); the launch and operation of crewless exploration missions to other planets (such as Mars) and the Moon; Earth observation, science and telecommunication; designing launch vehicles; and maintaining a major spaceport, the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou (French Guiana), France. The main European launch vehicle Ariane 6 will be operated through Arianespace with ESA sharing in the costs of launching and further developing this launch vehicle. The agency is also working with NASA to manufacture the Orion spacecraft service module that flies on the Space Launch System.[9][10]
Employment[edit]
As of 2023, ESA employs around 2200 people, and thousands of contractors. Initially, new employees are contracted for a expandable four-year term, which is until the organization's retirement age of 63. According to ESA's documents, the staff can receive myriad of perks, such as financial childcare support, retirement plans, and financial help when migrating. ESA also allows employees prevent any private documents or correspondences from disclosure to outside parties. Ars Technica's 2023 report, which contained testimonies of 18 people, suggested that there is a widespread harassment between management and its employees, especially with its contractors. Since ESA is an international organization, unaffiliated with any single nation, any form of legal action is difficult to raise against the organization.[34]
Security incidents[edit]
On 3 August 1984, ESA's Paris headquarters were severely damaged and six people were hurt when a bomb exploded. It was planted by the far-left armed Action Directe group.[133]
On 14 December 2015, hackers from Anonymous breached ESA's subdomains and leaked thousands of login credentials.[134]
