European Space Agency does not take job applications from people over 55. Not even for desk based jobs such as administrator or software developer. And this is public agency which supports equal oportunities :-)
The idea (originating from France as far as I can tell) is that if you fire all the old folks you will make more room for a younger generation. It's a theory that has been disprove again and again. It's also why they try to cut the work week. If everyone can only work 30 hours then there will be more jobs! (Except it never ends up happening)
For existing workers, this and other government agencies are massively biased in favor of the old. Everything important - salary, benefits, job title, responsibility, prestige, etc. - is given out almost entirely by seniority. At least in the US, there's basically no one who matters in government under age 45.