The beginning of a new academic year often signals the start of new research projects and activities. With this in mind, we have produced a quick recap of the resources that are available to readers, colleagues and researchers as the outcome of digitisation work in the ESA Archives.
Read on for a summary of the collections of ESA historical publications that are available in the SHIP database – both as high-resolution digital copies (with IIIF manifests for image interoperability) and for download. Further information about each is on the Archives Highlights page.
Since this work is ongoing, we are also regularly adding more tranches of material to existing collections – find out more about the two latest new entries below too.
Further collection openings are planned for later in 2025 – sign up for our newsletter when you login to the Archives portal to be the first to know about them!
And among the other digital resources available on this website, our space timeline and glossary have also recently been updated with content until 2004, enabling them to be used as a comprehensive reference when consulting the digital collections.
Digital collections of ESA historical publications
ESA Brochures
- Date range: 1979-2001
- Search in SHIP for 'ESA BR'
The ESA Brochures series was intended to highlight specific missions and programmes for the public and media, or to be published by the PR offices with both technical material and more general content. The first issue was in 1979 and the publication of the Brochures in printed form was stopped in the 2020s -they are now online interactive publications.
A first tranche opened in 2023 covered the period from 1979 to 2001, with 123 references.
New material
An additional 24 references, comprising 21 issues of ESA BR (one in multiple languages), were added to the collection in September 2025. These cover the same time period and fill in many of the gaps in publications, offering the majority of the physical holdings for these years in an analogous digital collection.
The selection includes brochures on high-profile ESA missions from the 1990s and 2000s such as Bepi-Colombo, GAIA, Hubble, PLANCK and Rosetta. It also offers publications on the European Space Operations Centre, Europe's ERS satellites, marking 40 years of the COSPAR Committee on Space Research in1998 and for the opening of IUE archives to the scientific community in 2000. There are also two brochures dealing with multiple missions: a series of fact sheets from 2000 on missions within the ESA Science Programme (Eddington, Hyper, Master, NGSR, Solar Orbiter, Storms) and the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish versions of Success Story. 30 discoveries from ESA's science missions in space, covering Exosat, Giotto, IUE, SOHO and Ulysses.
ESA Journal
- Date range: 1980-1994
- Search in SHIP for 'Journal'
The ESA Journal was issued quarterly from 1977 to 1994. It was intended as ESA’s principal technical publication and its contents included primary publications (original and significant ESA or European contributions to technology, science, missions, or systems management and operations in the space field) and information on ESA-related activities of interest to the professional space community, including conferences and publications.
ESRO/ESA Special Publications
- Date range: 1966-2004
- Search in SHIP for 'ESA SP'
Generally considered the most prestigious of ESRO and ESA’s technical publications, the SP series was published with an audience of scientists, industry or the space-interested public in mind. It was intended for the publication of scientific or technical information of value to, or derived from ESRO/ESA programmes, such as sponsored conference proceedings, data compilations, handbooks, manuals, or special bibliographies.
Two selections of ESRO and ESA SP publications have recently been digitised and opened in the SHIP database:
16 references from ESRO and ESA SP publications from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s with a focus on conference proceedings from the 1960s and 1970s and commemorative events from the 1980 and 1990s, in February 2025
14 references from ESRO and ESA SP publication from the 1960 to 1990s with a focus on guides, handbooks, manuals and bibliographies, in July 2025
ESA F publications
- Date range: 1986-1994
- Search in SHIP for 'ESA F'
The ‘f’ in ESA F stands for folder, since the material in the physical collection held in the ECSR consists of a set of folders with inserts. This series offered snapshots of the public relations material published by ESA over almost a decade from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, across the whole range of activities and programmes.
Selected inserts in either English or French have been digitised to create the digital collection available SHIP.
The first opening comprised 16 publications released from 1986 to 1994, produced for promotion of special events or as marketing material for ESA and its services.
New material
An additional 17 references, comprising 10 issues of ESA F in multiple languages, were added to the collection in September 2025.
They include several publications on ESA missions from the 1980s and early 1990s. These include the Hipparcos mission to map the stars (with explanatory poster) (ESA F-4), the ERS-1 remote sensing satellite (ESA F-12) and the largest civil communications satellite ever launched at that time, Olympus (ESA F-29). There are also brochures on ESA’s activities and facilities, including publications on the ESTEC Test Centre (ESA F-25) and Villafranca Tracking Station (ESA F-8). This latest tranche also includes two ESA brochures from 1987, the first in German, Italian and Spanish and the second in Dutch, English, French, German and Swedish.
ESA press releases
- Date range: 1980-1992
- Search in SHIP for 'press releases'
This rich and varied collection of the press releases issued by the ESA HQ Communications Office includes information issued in English, French and German. The material available at present covers the period from 1980 to 1992 (with two additional months – August and October - from 1975). However, the years 1988 and 1989 are missing from the Archives, along with the releases from the last few months of 1992.
Earth Observation Quarterly
- Date range: 1983-2003
- Search in SHIP for 'EOQ'
Earth Observation Quarterly (EOQ) was ESA’s newsletter on the Earth Observation Programme from 1983 to 2001. It contained articles from individual contributors and information related to Earth observation satellites and missions, largely written by staff based at ESRIN, ESA’s centre for Earth observation.
On Station
- Date range:1999-2004
- Search in SHIP for 'On Station'
On Station was the newsletter of ESA’s (then) Directorate of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity. It was published from 1999 to 2004, in 18 volumes, beginning just one year after the Spacelab programme came to an end. It therefore covers the period of transition from Spacelab to its successor, the ISS.
Ariane Press Kits
- Date range: 1979-1984
- Search in SHIP for 'Ariane press kits'
This collection includes the press kits in both English and French from the four test flights (L01 to L04), the first two operational flights (L5 and L6) and the promotional flights L7 and V8, representing the complete set of Ariane launches which took place under the responsibility of ESA.
ELDO Annual Reports
- Search in SHIP for 'Annual Report'
This collection comprises the digitised versions of the all the Annual Reports produced by ELDO in the ECSR holdings, covering the period 1966 to 1972. ELDO operated from 1964 to 1975 when it was merged with ESRO to form the European Space Agency in May 1975. From 1965 until 1972, it published a Report to the Council of Europe on the year’s activities. The reports give details of the processes which led to the winding up of ELDO and its amalgamation with ESRO and offer valuable insights into its complicated and intricate history.
ESRO General Reports
- Search in SHIP for 'Annual Report'
This collection comprises the General Reports issued by ESRO from 1964 to 1974 in both English and French. The reports included a review of the year’s activities and the relevant financial statements, acting as both a tool for official communication on its activities to stakeholders, and as a promotional asset, helping ESRO to demonstrate its accomplishments to the public.
ESRO and ELDO communications: 1964-1975
- Search in SHIP for 'esro publications or eldo publications'
This collection focuses on the communication activities of ESA’s two predecessor organisations – ESRO (the European Space Research Organisation) and ELDO (the European Space Vehicle Launcher Development Organisation) from their creation in 1964 until the establishment of ESA in 1975. The material available at present covers three main categories: communications or public relations events and activities related to ESRO sites; press and public relations material for ESRO technical programmes; and a small section of ELDO publications.
More help for your research in the Archives
More about SHIP functionalities and video guides
How to search and credit ESA Archives material