European Preparatory Commission for Space Research, created to prepare for the establishment of an international organisation to plan and implement common European space programmes. It operated from 1961 to 1964, when ESA’s predecessors, ESRO and ELDO, were created.

Committee on space research which developed from the work of the International Geophysical Year

Centre Spatial Guyanais, Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The site in Kourou was chosen by the CNES, the French space agency for the creation of a launch pad in 1964

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, German Research Foundation

Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt, later Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luft- und Raumfahrt, German Aeropsace Centre

The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) was established in 1990 and is located in Cologne, Germany. Home to ESA’s astronaut corps, it is the European centre of excellence for astronaut selection, training, and support.

European Broadcasting Union, an alliance of public service media organisations created in 1950

European Conference on Satellite Communications, also Conférence européenne pour les télécommunications par satellites (CETS). Created in 1963, ceased activity in 1970.

European Centre for Space Records – physical home to the ESA Archives in ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

European Space Vehicle Launcher Development Organisation (also known as European Launcher Development Organisation), created in 1964 to establish a satellite launch vehicle for Europe. It operated until it was merged with ESRO to form ESA in 1975.