N° 54–2022: Media invitation: Astronaut geology training in Lanzarote for future missions to Moon and Mars

28 October 2022

On Thursday 10 November, media representatives are invited to join a press conference in Lanzarote, Spain, about Pangaea geology training course with ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.

Lanzarote’s basaltic lava flows resemble vast plains on the lunar maria and its volcanoes are similar to those in some regions of Mars. Astronauts with their sights on the Moon receive world-class geology training in this Spanish island, one of Europe’s volcanic hot spots.

Participants of the fifth edition of Pangaea are ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst and NASA’s Stephanie Wilson, together with a team of geologists and engineers.

From choosing landing sites for a future Artemis mission to designing science operations on the lunar surface, the course challenges astronauts to become field scientists and efficient planetary explorers.

Programme

Date:               Thursday, 10 November 2022
Time:               10.30 to 11:30 GMT (Canary Islands time zone)
Place:              El Cuervo, Lanzarote, Spain
Meeting point: Parking Caldera del Cuervo
10:15        Arrival and accreditation
10:30             Short introduction by speakers
10:40               Q&A
11:00               Individual interviews upon request
11:30        End of programme

Participants
-         Alexander Gerst, astronaut, ESA.
-         Loredana Bessone, Pangaea project leader, ESA.
-         María Dolores Corujo, President of Cabildo de Lanzarote.
-         Jorge Peña, Councilor of Geoparque Lanzarote.

Media registration

Please register using this form by Monday 7 November 2022, specifying if you would like to request an individual interview with ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst or a member of the Pangaea crew.

There will be an additional opportunity to film Alexander Gerst during training in the afternoon. Please make sure to specify your interest in covering this in the registration form – spaces for media are limited in this case.

Contact

If you have further questions or interview requests (for example, one-to-one interview following the press conference or in the afternoon during training), please contact media@esa.int

If you have a request for the local authorities taking part in this event, please contact prensa2@cabildodelanzarote.com

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. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with four 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

Media registration

Additional information

Social media

Images

Videos

About the European Space Agency

For further information: