{"id":"a0d558ec-58f3-4f51-9ba3-b062c7d94b9d","name":"European Space Agency","slug":"esa","description":"Intergovernmental European space agency (23 member states) operating space robotics, AI-enabled Earth observation satellites, and planetary exploration missions. ESA's Automation and Robotics group develops technology for space-based autonomous systems including manipulators, rovers, and autonomous vehicles. Key robotic missions include the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover (ExoMars programme, drilling 2m subsurface), Phi-Sat-1 (first satellite to use AI for Earth observation imagery processing in-flight, launched September 2020), and the Space Rider reusable spacecraft. ESA member states approved a record €22.07 billion budget for 2026-2028 at the November 2025 Council of Ministers.","status":"active","founded":1975,"hq":"Paris, France (HQ); ESTEC Noordwijk, Netherlands; ESOC Darmstadt, Germany; ESRIN Frascati, Italy","fundingTotal":null,"type":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByCompanyId":null,"sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Space_Agency","title":"European Space Agency","sourceName":"primary/credible"},{"url":"https://www.esa.int/","title":"European Space Agency (official)","sourceName":"ESA (primary)"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"Director General","value":"Josef Aschbacher (since March 2021)"},{"label":"Type","value":"Intergovernmental organization (23 member states)"},{"label":"Budget","value":"€22.07 billion for 2026-2028 (record, approved Nov 2025)"},{"label":"Annual budget","value":"~€7.5 billion/year (2026-2028 allocation)"},{"label":"Key robotics missions","value":"Rosalind Franklin Mars rover (ExoMars), Phi-Sat-1 AI satellite, Space Rider reusable spacecraft"},{"label":"Automation & Robotics group","value":"Develops technology for space manipulators, autonomous vehicles, and remote control"},{"label":"Phi-Sat-1","value":"First satellite to use AI for Earth observation processing in-flight (launched Sept 2020)"},{"label":"ExoMars rover","value":"Rosalind Franklin rover — drills 2m deep, analyzes subsurface for biomarkers"},{"label":"Member states","value":"23: Germany, France, Italy, UK, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, etc."},{"label":"Financial stage","value":"Mature — government-funded intergovernmental organization"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"factoryLocations":null,"manufacturingCapacity":null,"orgType":null,"burnSignal":null,"litigationEvents":null,"insurancePostureDisclosed":null,"unitEconomicsDisclosed":null,"createdAt":"2026-06-06T00:40:01.369Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-18T12:54:19.174Z","jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/esa","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/esa","name":"European Space Agency","description":"Intergovernmental European space agency (23 member states) operating space robotics, AI-enabled Earth observation satellites, and planetary exploration missions. ESA's Automation and Robotics group develops technology for space-based autonomous systems including manipulators, rovers, and autonomous vehicles. Key robotic missions include the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover (ExoMars programme, drilling 2m subsurface), Phi-Sat-1 (first satellite to use AI for Earth observation imagery processing in-flight, launched September 2020), and the Space Rider reusable spacecraft. ESA member states approved a record €22.07 billion budget for 2026-2028 at the November 2025 Council of Ministers.","identifier":"a0d558ec-58f3-4f51-9ba3-b062c7d94b9d","foundingDate":"1975","address":"Paris, France (HQ); ESTEC Noordwijk, Netherlands; ESOC Darmstadt, Germany; ESRIN Frascati, Italy","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":["knowledge-base"]}}}