N° 7–2021: Call for media: Pre-launch press briefing with ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet

Set to launch on 22 April, Thomas will be the first ESA astronaut to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon being launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, USA. He will accompany NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.

Thomas’ mission is called Alpha after the star Alpha Centauri, located in the same system as Proxima, the name of his first mission.

Thomas is preparing for his launch and training on a new Dragon spacecraft. To view the launch itself NASA has opened media accreditation with the deadline for application 15 March for journalists outside the USA. ESA will not be organising any press trips for this launch due to COVID-19 restrictions.

More information about media accreditation for the launch itself in Florida is available here:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-invite-media-to-next-commercial-crew-launch/

Programme

11:30–12:30 CET: Press briefing, online

Participants

• Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General
• Kirsten MacDonell, ESA ISS Utilisation Planning Team Leader
• Thomas Pesquet, ESA Astronaut
• Didier Schmitt, Head of the ESA Human and Robotic Exploration Strategy & Coordination Group

Media registration

This press event will take place online in English and French.

Please register online at: 
https://www.esa.int/Contact/mediaregistration by 15 March 2021.

The press conference will be streamed at esawebtv.esa.int, but only registered media will be able to ask questions.

Upcoming events are posted on the launch calendar and events calendar at www.esa.int/newsroom.

Contact

If you have further questions or interview requests, please contact media@esa.int.

Social media

Follow ESA on

Twitter: @esaspaceflight @Thom_astro
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency
YouTube: ESA

Further information

Information on the Alpha mission can be found on www.esa.int/MissionAlpha with latest updates on the Exploration blog at https://blogs.esa.int/exploration/category/astronauts/thomas-pesquet/.

The Alpha mission brochure is available at: www.esa.int/AlphaBrochure

Images

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images

Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images

For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.

Videos

Video B-roll of Thomas training for the Alpha mission is available on ESA’s videos for professionals:

https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2020/12/Thomas_Pesquet_Alpha_mission_training

https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/03/Thomas_Pesquet_Mission

https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/03/Thomas_Pesquet_Bio_Training

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos

Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions

For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.

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 and Latvia are Associate Members.

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.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

For further information:

ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Ninja Menning

Email: media@esa.int

Tel: +31 71 565 6409