Ever since the inclusion of the Bernese Solar Wind Composition experiment (SWC) in the Apollo 11 mission, planted on the lunar surface by "Buzz" Aldrin even before the American flag, Bern has been among the world's elite in space exploration. The University of Bern has been participating in space missions of the major space organizations, such as ESA, NASA and JAXA, and with CHEOPS, the University of Bern shares responsibility with ESA for a whole mission.