ESA Open Day at ESTEC 2023

Take your chance to meet astronauts, view spacecraft and peer behind the scenes of Europe’s space adventure at our ESA Open Day at ESTEC in the Netherlands on Sunday 8 October from 10:00 to 17:00. Registration is now open.

One person can register for up to four entrance tickets per booking.

ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, is ESA’s technical centre, and the single largest Agency establishment.

In operation for well over half a century, this is where new ESA missions are born and novel technologies are investigated. Completed space missions are also evaluated here ahead of flight, in Europe’s largest satellite testing facility.


Astronaut Thomas ReiterThis 12th annual ESA Open Day at ESTEC is your chance to meet space scientists and engineers to find out about all aspects of Europe’s work off the planet, including posing questions to the experts at our Space Citizens Forum.

ESA astronauts André Kuipers and Thomas Reiter will be here for talks and autograph sessions, along with John McFall, UK Paralympian athlete and member of ESA’s astronaut reserve.


Hera asteroid missionCosplay is welcome: this year’s theme is ‘Science Fiction Gets Real’, highlighting how science fiction has inspired scientists and engineers to join ESA, and turn once imaginary concepts into science fact.

Visitors will have a rare chance to view ESA’s next deep space mission before launch: currently beginning checks at the ESTEC Test Centre, the Hera mission for planetary defence will be lifting off towards the distant Dimorphos asteroid next year.


VR exhibitWe will be publishing the full programme of attractions, events and lectures later this month.

Taking place as part of the NL Space Campus’s Space Week, the ESA Open Day is also partnering with Dutch Weekend van de Wetenschap.


NL MOONSHOTS ’24ESTEC’s year-round visitor centre Space Expo will also be participating in the Open Day, along with a full schedule of events and talks from Space Rocks, celebrating the art and culture of science and space.

André Kuipers will officially kickstart the NL MOONSHOTS ’24 programme, powered by the Netherlands Space Office: a journey of a lifetime open to all student pioneers based in the Netherlands in which they can come up with crazy ideas relating to space.

Astronaut André Kuipers in orbitEach year thousands of visitors attend the ESA Open Days in the Netherlands. Sunday’s general Open Day is preceded by an Open Day for people with a disability on Saturday, the day before, allowing them to explore the sprawling site at their own pace – because space is for everyone.