Discover Space!
Space Expo is the visitor centre of ESA ESTEC here in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her son Prince Friso opened the exhibition on the 29th of June, 1990. Each year we welcome more than 120.000 visitors.
Visitors of Space Expo will go on an exciting voyage through the universe, past stars and planets.
Not only that, but much attention is paid to the vast history of space travel. You can walk through a 1:1 scale model of the International Space Station (ISS) as well as walk past a 1:1 scale model of the moonlander Eagle of 1969, one of our visitors favorites.
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Earth from Space - Powered by ESA
In this unique and interactive exhibition, you’ll see Earth as you’ve never seen it before: through satellites’ eyes. Use real satellite data to investigate changes in land, water, ice and air, projected onto a large globe. Zoom in with our touch table. You'll discover the fastest-flowing glacier in the world, new islands near Dubai, deforestation in the Amazon Forest and more. And explore the future of the Netherlands with our elevation model. What would this country look like if there were no dikes? Or when the sea level rises? Satellites provide answers from space – powered by ESA – exclusively at Space Expo Noordwijk.
André Kuipers & the Sojoez Capsule
At Space Expo you can admire many items that were used by Dutch astronaut André Kuipers on his mission to space. For example his original space suit and the original Sojoez TMA-03M space capsule in which he traveled to the International Space Station and back to Earth. Beside these items you can also admire a real Ariane 1 rocket engine, a variety of life-sized satellites, and our treasury with a real moonstone that was given to us by the NASA.
Go on a mission!
Discover how we design, build and test space missions on Earth in the Space Expo Cleanroom.
At Space Expo you can design your own space mission. Are you going to take people to the Moon? Will you discover new stars in the universe? Or show people the way using satellites? You can choose from six different missions. Each mission has a unique design.
In addition to interactive tasks, you will find special space objects in the Cleanroom. There is a gigantic solar panel from a communication satellite and a scale model of the ExoMars rover. You will discover that satellites can be as small as a milk carton. And how a Dutch satellite instrument examines the air quality in your neighbourhood.