N° 2–2018: Call for Media: Columbus and ATV 10th anniversary

One space lab, five spacecraft, 10 years of success. Nearly a decade ago, the Columbus laboratory set sail for humanity’s new world in space. Shortly afterwards, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) arrived at the International Space Station as the most reliable and complex spacecraft ever built in Europe. 

The event is a unique opportunity to re-live some exciting milestones, connect live to the Station and look into space exploration plans.

The larger Columbus family of planners, builders, scientists, support teams and astronauts will gather to celebrate the past, present and future of Europe’s major contributions to the Station.

Programme (times CET)

13:30                Welcome by Jan Wörner, ESA Director General                        

13:50               Roundtable “How did Europe join the Space Station?” led by Jörg Feustel-Büechl

14:25               Roundtable “Challenges of a space adventure – from development to launch”, led by Alan Thirkettle

15:10               Video link with the Columbus Control Centre in Germany

15:25                Coffee break

16:00                Roundtable “A decade of European research”, led by Marc Heppener

16:40               Conversation with ESA astronauts 

17:15                Live call with the International Space Station

ESA goes commercial: signing of agreement for the Bartolomeo
all-in-one space service, led by David Parker

Closing remarks                       

18:00                End

 

Location

The event will be held at:

ESA/ESTEC

Erasmus High Bay

Keplerlaan 1

2201 AZ, Noordwijk

The Netherlands

 

Media accreditation

Media representatives with press and/or social media credentials are requested to register at: https://se.myconvento.com/public/event_register/do_register/2067008

 

Follow online

The celebrations will be livestreamed from 13:30 CET at:  www.esa.int/Columbus

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia is an Associate Member.

ESA has established formal cooperation with six Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities.

Today, it develops and launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space. ESA also has a strong applications programme developing services in Earth observation, navigation and telecommunications.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Email: media@esa.int
Tel: +33 1 53 69 72 99