European Space Astronomy Centre

European Space Astronomy Centre
	Aerial view of ESAC
Abbreviation	ESAC
Type	IGO
Location	Villafranca del Castillo,Villanueva de la Cañada,Spain;
Leader	Carole Mundell(Director)
Parent organization	European Space Agency
Website	www.esa.int/esac
Remarks	ESAC is one of nine establishments operated by ESA

TheEuropean Space Astronomy Centre(ESAC) nearMadridin Spain is theESA'scentre for space science (astronomy, Solar System exploration and fundamental physics). It hosts the science operation centres for all ESA astronomy and planetary missions together with their scientific archives. Past and present missions represented at ESAC include (in alphabetical order)Akari,BepiColombo,Cassini–Huygens,Cluster,Exomars,Gaia,Herschel Space Observatory,Hubble Space Telescope,ISO,INTEGRAL,IUE,James Webb Space Telescope,LISA Pathfinder,Mars Express,Planck,Rosetta,SOHO,Solar Orbiter,Venus Express,andXMM-Newton.

Future missions to be represented from ESAC includeAthena,Euclid,JUICE,andPlato.

In addition to deep space and solar system exploration, ESAC hosts the data processing ofSMOS,a satellite observing the Earth, and the CESAR educational programme.

ESA's deep-space antenna in Europeis located inCebreros,Avila,about 90 km from Madrid and 65 km from ESAC. This installation provides essential support to the activities of ESAC. Inaugurated in September 2005, Cebreros features a highly accurate pointing control system and a 35-metre antenna that allow ESA to gather data from distant missions to Mercury, Venus, Mars and beyond.

ESAC is also involved in ESA missions conducted in collaboration with other space agencies. One example isAkari,a Japanese-led mission to carry out an infrared sky survey, launched on 21 February 2006. Collaborative programmes include theNASA-ledJames Webb Space Telescope,the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.

In addition, ESAC also hosts theSpanish Astrobiology Center(CAB), a research facility aimed mainly at encouraging young Spanish scientists to enter the fields of astrophysics and fundamental physics.

ESAC is located nearVillafranca del Castillo[es],within the municipal limits ofVillanueva de la Cañada,is located 30 km west of Madrid in theGuadarramaValley. It lies in between evergreen oaks and at the foot of the ruins of the 15th-centuryAulencia Castle[es].

References[edit]

^Establishments and facilities / Welcome to ESA / About Us / ESA

External links[edit]

[1] Establishments and facilities / Welcome to ESA / About Us / ESA

[1]

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