Follow the launch of the next ISS commander ESA astronaut Frank De Winne live at ESA establishments
ESA PR 11-2009. The Soyuz rocket that will bring ESA astronaut Frank De Winne to the International Space Station for the OasISS mission is set to launch from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on 27 May at 12:34 CEST.
Frank De Winne's OasISS mission onboard the ISS will last six months during which he will conduct a European science programme and operate robotic arms to dock the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle to the ISS and to install scientific experiments outside the Japanese Kibo module. In October he will become the first European to command the permanently manned human outpost in space.
The mission also marks an important milestone in the ISS programme. For the first time in the history of the ISS, the permanent crew will be expanded to six people in order to make full use of the Space Station's technological and scientific capabilities. Also for the first time in its history, all participating partners will be represented at the same time by an astronaut onboard – the USA, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.
For the launch of the OasISS mission, ESA is organising coverage of the launch at various centres. ESA experts will be on hand for interviews.
Media representatives wishing to follow the event at one of the locations listed in the attached registration form (linked from the right menu) are requested to fax it back to the place of their choice.
For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication Department
Tel: +33(0)1 53 69 7299
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690
