Nine days before the launch of Claudie Haigner, European second astronaut to visit the ISS, this programme provides an updated short overview of the ISS, its assembly status and the reasons for Europe's participation in this largest scientific/technical co-operative project ever. The 5 minute A-roll contains split audio with and english guide track and is complemented by a longer b-roll with clean international sound.

SCRIPT
10:00:40
The International Space Station, or ISS, is the biggest man-built construciton in Space. It is literally the embodiment of a large-scale cooperation between Europe, the US, Russia, Cannada and Japan. On completion, the ISS will measure over a hundred metres and weigh about 450 tons.
10:01:07
A project of this size can't be launched into space in one piece, so new elements are added over several years.
10:01:19
The construction of the ISS started in November 1998, with the Zarya module. Merely two weeks later, a space shtulle bought up the connecting module Unity. The third larges component of the ISS, was the Russian Zvezda-module. This is where the ISS-crew are eating and sleeping. Since the, other components have been added, and many more will follow.
10:01:50
The most important European ISS contributions are still to come. In autumn 2004, te first ESA SAutomated Transfer Vehicle ATV will fly to the ISS. It will be launched on top of an Ariane 5-launcher. The ATV ca