The European Space Agency has been a major player in space exploration and commercialisation for the last 30 years or more.

Much of the serious terrestially-based astronomy done around the world is done by Europeans. In fact, one of the largest and most contemporary telescope systems is ESO’s Very Large Telescope Array at Cerro Paranal in the Chilean desert.

A huge number of commercial satellites have been launched via the Ariane vehicles out of the ESA’s facility in Guyana. I’m willing to bet that almost all of the 21st century electronic media and connectivity you currently enjoy in Britain is totally reliant on space based systems launched and maintained by Europeans.

The ESA has sent exploratory missions to various destinations, including comets, asteroids and planets. One of the most obvious targets in recent years has been Mars.

You might also be surprised to learn that NASA is NOT the sole player in the high-profile Cassini mission to Saturn – it is a joint project with the ESA, which NASA has always been most careful to state in every new photo and media release.

NASA’s meteoric rise in the late 1950’s and 60’s was driven by the cold war. Space was then, and still is now, regarded by certain elements of the American military/industrial complex as a battle ground to be conquered and dominated by the US. Hence why NASA still runs classified missions from time to time.

The American media protect and perpetuate this paradigm by continually portraying NASA as the leader in the field, with minimal mention of other non-American contributors.

On the other hand, the ESA is not derived from one nation, but from many, with a completely different, and distinctly non-military motivational focus.

You could liken Europe and space to Linux and the internet – largely unknown by the public, but responsible for much of the background heavy lifting.