Explore ESTEC

Space base - Of all ESA establishments, ESTEC is the largest, with around 2700 personnel. This is where ESA missions are conceived then guided through development, and work on new technology is coordinated. When ESTEC was constructed in the early 1960s, foundations 25 metres deep were sunk to ensure sufficient stability for precision engineering tests. Even so, modern test instruments used in ESTEC laboratories are so sensitive that the tides of the nearby North Sea can be detected. Path to testing - ESTEC's Laboratory corridor, housing a suite of specialised testing facilities. Designing for orbit takes teams specialised in every aspect of engineering for the space environment. Assembled together in ESTEC, given all the specialised tools they require, these experts - with almost half a century of experience - are a core part of ESA.