N° 2–1998: ESA's Director General to meet the international press in Paris

On Thursday 22 January ESA Director General Antonio Rodotà. will meet the media at ESA Head Office in Paris for a press breakfast starting at 8:30 hrs, to take stock of the Agency's activities in 1997 and go through the list of events planned this year.

In a nutshell: 1998 will open the International Space Station era with the launch of the first element; Ariane 5 will complete its qualification process; several spacecraft will be completed, tested and readied for their missions; and another ESA astronaut will fly on the US Shuttle.

In June the Ministers of ESA's Member States responsible for space activities will gather at a Council meeting in Brussels to decide on the course to be taken by the European Space Agency. They will be invited to take decisions of crucial importance to securing Europe's position in space activities, with key markets and fields of technology, research and science at stake.

Media representatives wishing to attend the press breakfast are kindly requested to complete the attached accreditation form and to return it, preferably by fax, to the ESA Public Relations Division in Paris (Fax. + 33.(0) 1. 53.69. 76.90).