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Contents The mission logoAstrolab Mission About the missionWhy Astrolab? Mission factsFactsheets (pdf)This week on ISSScience programme Human physiologyBiologyRadiationPhysicsTechnologyEducationMeet the crew Thomas ReiterLéopold EyhartsMichael E. Lopez-AlegriaMikhail TyurinExpedition 13Astrolab Mission live ESA TelevisionNASA TV liveReiter EVA blogMultimedia Multimedia galleryServices
| | | | | | | | | Astrolab mission logo | |
Why Astrolab?
Europe's first long-duration mission to the International Space Station has been named Astrolab. The name Astrolab, was chosen in memory of Martin Behaim (1459-1507), a famous German cartographer, mapmaker, navigator and explorer, who is famous for making developments in the astrolabe.
This important navigation instrument was a great improvement on the primitive quadrant then in use for measuring the altitude of the Sun. The astrolabe was used in order to determine location, distance and time. It was this new astrolabe that Christopher Columbus used as a navigation aid on his voyage to the Americas in 1492.
Astrolab also refers to ASTROnauts and to LABoratory. This name suggests that this first long duration mission of a European astronaut on the ISS is describing the navigation path for the utilisation of the Columbus laboratory in future exploration.
The mission logo
The principal form in the logo comes from two circles, with the outermost circle split into 24 sections. This portrays the form of an astrolabe. The border of the innermost circle takes its colours from the German flag, highlighting the nationality of ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter.
The destination of the long-duration mission, the International Space Station, is shown as a central symbol in the logo. This is framed by two sets of stars. The three bright stars to the left symbolize the three members of the ISS Expedition 13 crew. The 17 smaller stars in the background represent the ESA Member States.
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