ESRO’s Remote Console System (RECON) was the first online search system in Europe, completed and operational in August 1969. RECON was managed by the ESRO Space Documentation Service in Frascati.

ESA's Rosetta mission (with contributions from NASA), was launched in 2004 and was the first to rendezvous with a comet, the first to follow a comet on its orbit around the Sun, and the first to deploy a lander (Philae) to a comet's surface.

By studying the gas, dust and structure of the nucleus and organic materials associated with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, via both remote and in situ observations, it has provided insights into the history and evolution of the Solar System.

Its launch was on 2 March 2004, comet rendezvous manoeuvres from May - August 2014, arrival at comet on 6 August 2014, closest approach to sun on 13 August 2014, Philae lander delivery on 12 November 2014, mission end on 30 September 2016.