France, Jan. 21 -- This year, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the European Space Agency. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Paris, ESA has achieved several important milestones in space exploration, space science and Earth observation.

"Fifty years of the European Space Agency (ESA) have been fifty years of remarkable successes. Over these decades, we have developed and launched an extraordinary number of satellites and rockets," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told RFI.

ESA's foundation

The European Space Agency was officially established on 30 May 1975 through the merger of two earlier organisations: the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO), focused on scientific research, and the European Launcher De...