European Space Agency: ambitious plans, modest possibilities, powerful competitors

Abstract

The article is devoted to the genesis, structure and present potential of the European Space Agency. This structure consolidates the projects of European countries related to the exploration of space. In recent years, ESA has undertaken numerous scientific and research projects. Despite the powerful base, which is the European economy, ESA has much less opportunities than its main competitor – the American NASA. Space research conducted by ESA is often complementary and auxiliary to NASA’s plans. Space agencies from other countries – Russia, China and Japan – are also strong competitors for ESA.