N° 19–2009: ESA's Swedish astronaut to return to the ISS
17 August 2009
The launch date for the STS-128 mission to the International Space Station with Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled for no earlier than Monday 24 August. The crew of seven includes ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang of Sweden, on his second spaceflight, a mission dubbed "Alissé".
The launch date for the STS-128 mission to the International Space Station with Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled for no earlier than Monday 24 August. The crew of seven includes ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang of Sweden, on his second spaceflight, a mission dubbed "Alissé".
For a launch on 24 August, liftoff is scheduled for 07:58 CEST from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Docking with the International Space Station (ISS) will occur on mission day three (26 August). On entering the ISS, Christer Fuglesang will be welcomed by fellow ESA astronaut Frank De Winne of Belgium, aboard since 29 May.
The main STS-128 mission objective is to deliver cargo and equipment. In addition, NASA astronaut Nicole Stott will replace fellow astronaut Timothy Kopra as a permanent ISS crewmember.
During the Alissé mission (the name refers to the trade winds exploited by European sailors since Columbus to reach the New World), Christer Fuglesang will be in charge of operations involving the Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo and will participate in two of the three planned spacewalks .
Carried into orbit inside Discovery's payload bay and then temporarily docked with the ESA-delivered Harmony Node-2 module, Leonardo will provide a pressurised environment for three life-support and three science racks to be transferred into the Station. The science racks include the second Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI-2) supplied by ESA, which provides very low temperature storage for samples, as well as the first ISS research laboratory fully dedicated to Material Sciences: ESA's Material Science Laboratory. Leonardo's payload also includes food, clothes, water and astronaut sleeping quarters. Both MELFI-2 and the sleeping quarters will be installed in Japan's Kibo research module.
During his two spacewalks, Fuglesang will dismount the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) from an external platform on ESA's Columbus laboratory module. Designed to expose various sample materials and experiments to the vacuum of space, this facility will be returned to Earth inside Discovery's payload bay. Fuglesang will also install another material exposure experiment package –NASA's sixth Materials on International Space Station Experiments (MISSE-6)– on the external platforms of Columbus. He will also remove and replace a depleted Ammonia Tank Assembly (ATA), part of the ISS thermal control system.
Christer Fuglesang is due to return to Earth aboard Discovery on 6 September at 02:15 CEST after 13 days in space. Frank De Winne will remain on the ISS until late November, assuming the ‘commander seat' in October.
For this mission, which breaks new ground in terms of ESA's activities on the ISS, ESA will arrange live transmission of the launch and the various flight events. A video News Release is already available for broadcasters on the ESA TV site (http://television.esa.int) or at the ESA launch media corner (http://video360.world-television.com/mediacorner/).
For the launch of the Alissé mission, local events will be arranged at ESA's Establishments and in Sweden at Gothenburg Universeum (see attached registration form). The launch coverage with live streaming and regular mission updates will also be available on the internet at the following address: www.esa.int/alisse
Media registration
Media representatives wishing to cover the launch from an ESA Establishment or in Gothenburg Universeum, Sweden, are kindly requested to fill in the registration form and return it by fax or email to the relevant ESA Communication Office of their choice.
For further information please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communications and Knowledge Department
Tel: + 33 1 5369 7299
Fax: + 33 1 5369 7690
Launch of the Alissé mission
To be faxed back to the location of your choice.
First Name: ___________________ Last Name: __________________
Media: ______________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Tel:______________________Fax: ______________________________
Cell phone: _______________Email: ___________________________
I will be attending the Alissé launch on Monday 24 August at the following ESA site:
[ ] Germany
Location: ESA-EAC
Address: Linder Hoehe- D 51147 Cologne
Opening hours: 07:00-08:30 hrs
Fax: + 49 22 03 6001 112
Contact: Jules.Grandsire @ esa.int
Phone: +49 2203 6001 205
[ ] Germany
Location: ESA-ESOC
Address: Robert-Bosch Strasse 5, 64 289 Darmstadt
Opening hours: 07:00-08:30 hrs
Fax: + 49 6151 902 961
Contact: Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin
Phone: +49 6151 90 25 16
e-mail : jlc @ esa.int
[ ] France
Location: ESA-HQ
Address: 8/10 rue Mario Nikis, Paris 15
Opening hours : 07:00 – 08:30 hrs
Fax: + 33 1 5369 7690
Contact : Bernhard von Weyhe
Phone : + 33 1 53 69 71 58
Email : media @ esa.int
[ ] The Netherlands
Location: ESA-ESTEC, Erasmus Centre
Address : Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk
Opening hours : 07:00-08:30
Fax: + 31 71 565 5728
Contact: Jennifer Hordijk
Phone: +31 71 565 3006
Email: estecpr @ esa.int
[ ] Italy
Location: ESA-ESRIN
Address: Via Galileo Galieli, Frascati (Rome)
Opening hours: 07:00-08:30 hrs
Fax: + 39 06 941 80 952
Contact: Dieter Isakeit
Phone: +39 06 941 80 950
Email: Dieter.Isakeit @ esa.int
[ ] Sweden
Location: Universeum
Address: Södra vägen 50. Gothenburg
Opening hours: 07:00 hrs
Fax: +46 31 335 64 90
Contact (Universeum): Jonas Boström
Phone: + 46 31 335 64 32
Contact (ESA): Rosita Suenson
Phone: + 31 652 062 158
For further information:
ESA - Media Relations Office
Tel: +33.1.5369.7299
Fax: +33.1.5369.7690