N° 2–2018: Call for Media: Columbus and ATV 10th anniversary
28 January 2018
Media are invited to ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands on 7 February for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Columbus laboratory and the launch of the first Automated Transfer Vehicle.
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