ESA - Columbus - Europe’s Columbus laboratory leaves Earth

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Europe’s Columbus laboratory leaves Earth

7 February 2008

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Atlantis lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 7 February 2008. Columbus, ESA’s advanced science laboratory in space, has been launched into orbit and is on its way to dock with the International Space Station (ISS). Columbus was on board NASA’s Space Shuttle Atlantis when it lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 20:45 CET, 7 February 2008. For this one-way trip to Earth orbit, Columbus is in the expert hands of a crew of seven astronauts, including two members of the European astronaut corps: Léopold Eyharts of France and Hans Schlegel of Germany.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja 2008

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European astronaut Hans Schlegel, from Germany, and the STS-122 mission crew during walk out. The seven astronauts are on their way to the launch pad. They walked out of the Operations and Checkout Building clad in orange pressure suits. The Astrovan takes them to the base of Launch Pad 39A where they climb into an elevator and ride up to the level where they enter the crew compartment. The STS-122 crewmates will deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. Lift-off is scheduled for 20:45 CET (19:45 UT), 7 February 2008.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja 2008

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ESA astronaut Léopold Eyharts, from France, and the STS-122 mission crew during walk out. The seven astronauts are on their way to the launch pad. They walked out of the Operations and Checkout Building clad in orange pressure suits. The Astrovan takes them to the base of Launch Pad 39A where they climb into an elevator and ride up to the level where they enter the crew compartment. The STS-122 crew will deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. Lift-off is scheduled for 20:45 CET (19:45 UT), 7 February 2008.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja 2008

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The Columbus laboratory is ESA's biggest contribution to the International Space Station (ISS). Delivered to ESA by EADS SPACE Transportation on 2 May 2006, this laboratory will provide internal payload accommodation for various scientific experiments. The Columbus laboratory is due to be flown on Space Shuttle Atlantis to the ISS in December 2007.

Credits: ESA - D. Ducros

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Backdropped by the blackness of space and Earth's horizon, the updated International Space Station is seen from Space Shuttle Discovery as the two spacecraft begin to separate after undocking on 5 November. The newly relocated P6 truss with its solar arrays, repaired during a dramatic spacewalk on 3 November, is seen in its permanent location at left.

Credits: NASA

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Jean-Jacques Dordain has been ESA's Director General since 2003.

Credits: ESA - A. Le Floc'h

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STS-122 mission crew during walk out. The seven astronauts on their way to the launch pad. They walked out of the Operations and Checkout Building clad in orange pressure suits. The Astrovan takes them to the base of Launch Pad 39A where they climb into an elevator and ride up to the level where they enter the crew compartment. The STS-122 crew will deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. Lift-off is scheduled for 20:45 CET (19:45 UT), 7 February 2008.

Credits: ESA - S. Corvaja 2008

Columbus Mission

Columbus Blog

Atlantis lifts off: the story in pictures

Perfect view of ISS just before Columbus launch Columbus launch set for 7 February Columbus placed inside Space Shuttle Columbus moves to payload canister Columbus hatch closed for last time