Open Day ESA Estec 2026

Anyone who has ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at European space exploration should visit the ESA Open Day. For the eleventh time, ESA’s testing center will open its doors to the general public for one day only.

During the Open Day at ESTEC, you can meet astronauts and mission experts, discover how ESA recreates space conditions on Earth for experiments and testing, and learn about technologies developed for space travel that have found applications here on Earth. The European Space Agency (ESA) and its member states work together to achieve a wide range of space exploration goals. European countries have been collaborating in the field of space for more than fifty years. Visitors who want to see with their own eyes where European rockets, satellites, and spacecraft are developed will have the opportunity to visit Europe’s largest space research center in Noordwijk. ESTEC is the largest establishment of ESA. It is where new missions are conceived and tested before being launched into space. Only once a year do the otherwise tightly closed doors open to the public.

Saturday, 26 September

People with physical disabilities will have the opportunity to visit ESA ESTEC on Saturday, 26 September. The technical heart of ESA ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, will be open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, allowing visitors with disabilities to explore this leading European space center at their own pace. Registration is required.

Admission is free, but registration is necessary. For Sunday, 27 September, online registration will be available from the beginning of September.