... Observing . ... Europe bids Gaia a safe journey . ... The European Space Agency s (ESA) billion-star surveyor, Gaia, has completed final preparations in Europe and is ready to depart for its launch site in French Guiana set to embark on a five-year mission to map the stars with unprecedented precision. ... Only registered members of Astronomy.com are allowed to comment on this article. ... Receive news, sky-event information, observing tips, and more from Astronomy's weekly email newsletter. ...