N° 19–2019: Call for media: Live event for Luca Parmitano’s first spacewalk of Beyond

In a live linkup between the ESA’s EAC and the European Laboratory for Particle Physics CERN, astronaut experts and scientists will provide specialist insight and commentary on what will be the most challenging series of spacewalks since those to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

Originally intended to operate for three years and never designed to be maintained in orbit, the AMS-02 particle physics instrument has produced results that are shaping researchers’ understanding of cosmic rays. Luca and his spacewalking partner NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan trained extensively to service the instrument ahead of their mission, but 15 November will be their first opportunity to examine their work site. Luca will be the lead spacewalker, a position known as ‘EV1’, another first for a European astronaut.

The EAC event will begin at 11:50 GMT (12:50 CET) – 20 minutes before Luca and Andrew exit the airlock at 12:10 GMT (13:10 CET). Experts from both sites, including the first European International Space Station commander Frank De Winne, will cover spacewalk preparation, the results AMS-02 that has achieved to date and the complexity of the task, with the opportunity for media to ask questions.

Live interactive coverage and commentary will run until 14:00 GMT (15:00 CET). This will be followed by interview opportunities. A working lunch will be provided and media are welcome to stay and watch the entire spacewalk at EAC if they wish.

Please indicate whether you would like an interview slot during your registration and state which of the ESA speakers you would like to interview.

Speakers:

Frank de Winne (ISS Operations and Astronaut Group Leader)
Herve Stevenin (Head of ESA EVA and Parabolic Flight Training Unit)
Andrea Boyd (ESA Eurocom Team Coordinator)
Stefan Schael, German AMS-02 Project lead, Astrophysicist, RWTH Aachen University

Location:

ESA European Astronaut Centre
Linder Hoehe
D-51147 Cologne
Germany
http://www.esa.int/About_Us/EAC/How_to_reach_us

Event programme:

All times in CET
12:00 – 12:30           EAC arrival and registration.  
12:50                          Welcome by Frank De Winne, first European commander of the International Space
                                  Station and Head of EAC.
                                    Introduction to ESA speakers.
13:00                          Live cross to CERN plus speaker introduction.
13:10                          Hatch opening.
                                    Start of live commentary.
14:10                          Translation to work site via robotic arm.
14:25                          Work on AMS-02 begins.
15:00                          End of live event.
15:00 – 17:00            Interview opportunity.
19:40                          End of spacewalk.

Media registration:

Media representatives with press or social media credentials please register at: https://www.esa.int/Contact/mediaregistration 

Social media participants should check here that they meet the eligibility criteria before applying. Note that there is no dedicated social media event; those attending with social media accreditation will have the same access to the event as traditional/online news media.

Please ensure you bring your passport or valid ID card (no driver licenses) to gain access to the DLR campus. Latest date for registration is 12 November.

Livestream:

This event will be shown live on ESA Web TV as well as via ESA’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EuropeanSpaceAgency

For further information please contact:

ESA Newsroom and Media Relations
Tel. +390694180767
Email: media@esa.int

Background:

More information about ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano and his Beyond mission: http://lucaparmitano.esa.int/ and in the mission brochure: http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/HRE/Beyond_interactive_EN.pdf

More information about ESA: www.esa.int

Images:

Luca Parmitano:
http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Keywords/People/Luca_Parmitano/(result_type)/images 
Beyond mission:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/albums/72157709893098626
Beyond infographics: http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Sets/Beyond_mission_infographics/(result_type)/images
Spacewalk infographics: http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Search?SearchText=spacewalk+AND+infographic&result_type=images
ESA’s Photo Library for Professionals: http://www.esa-photolibrary.com

Videos:

ESA Human Spaceflight videos: http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Directorates/Human_Spaceflight
Luca Parmitano videos: http://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Search?SearchText=luca+parmitano+AND+training&result_type=videos
ESA’s Video Library for Professionals: http://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos_for_Professionals

Social media:

Official hashtag – #SpacewalkForAMS
Mission hashtag – #MissionBeyond
Twitter: @esaspaceflight, @esa, @astro_luca
Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency, @AstronautLucaParmitano
Instagram: @EuropeanSpaceAgency
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESA

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.