ESA BR-300 ELIPS: Research in space for the future
21 March 2012
This brochure gives an overview of the wide range of research the European Space Agency is performing under the unique conditions found in space.
The cornerstone is the International Space Station and its European Columbus laboratory, but several other mission platforms are also available. The areas of scientific interest are many and diverse: from fundamental physics to human physiology, from new alloys to plant roots.
ELIPS - European Programme for LIfe and Physical Sciences in Space - is ESA´s research programme for science and applications in microgravity, helping to improve our life on Earth and enable humankind´s long-term presence in space. The examples presented here are all part of ELIPS. However, with a programme that involves some 1500 scientists in hundreds of experiments, as well as a large and diverse group of industrial research and development users, only a small but representative sample of the whole portfolio can be presented.