From ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, spacecraft are flown in Earth orbit; taking the pulse of our unique planet, and across the Solar System; exploring our local environment and looking out to the universe beyond.

It is from here, too, that we keep watch over hazards in space – from solar flares to asteroids to space debris – working to mitigate these risks, keeping us, and the infrastructure we’ve come to rely on, safe.