Main press and communication activities for 2004
PR 02-2004. The major events in which ESA will be involved during the year are listed below and can be pencilled into your diaries.
January
15/01
Paris, France: ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain meets the press
February
26/02
Kourou, French Guiana: launch of Rosetta, (launch window open until 17 March)
tbc
Kennedy Space Centre, USA: delivery of ESA’s Hexapod to the International Space Station
tbc
Inauguration of the EGNOS ground receiving station in Torrejón, Spain
tbc
Ceremony marking the start of work, in Kourou, French Guiana, on the ground segment infrastructure for the Vega launcher
March
tbc
ESA/EC joint meeting at ministerial level
16-19/03
London, United Kingdom: ESA stand at Oceanology International
tbc
Bordeaux, France: 36th parabolic flight campaign
tbc
Baikonur, Kazakhstan: launch of Skyplex
April
13-17/04
Noordwijk, the Netherlands: Huygens Symposium, including international day for amateur astronomers (17/04) at ESA/ESTEC
19-29/04
Baikonur, Kazakhstan: launch of the Delta mission to the International Space Station, with ESA astronaut André Kuipers on board
May
10-16/05
Berlin, Germany: ILA 2004
tbc
Noordwijk, the Netherlands: ATV media day at ESA/ESTEC
tbc
Kennedy Space Center, USA: delivery of ESA’s Cupola to the International Space Station
June
tbc
Xichang, China: Double Star 2nd launch
11/06
Cassini/Huygens, fly-by of Phoebe
tbc
Noordwijk, the Netherlands: availability of the first EGNOS signal; event at ESA/ESTEC
tbc
Baikonur, Kazakhstan: launch of AmerHis
tbc
Kourou, French Guiana: first Ariane 5 ECA qualification flight
July
01/07
Cassini/Huygens Saturn orbit insertion
18-24/07
Paris, France: COSPAR
19-25/07
Farnborough, United Kingdom: Farnborough International
tbc
Bordeaux, France: 37th parabolic flight campaign
September
6-10/09
Salzburg, Austria: first Envisat Symposium
From 12/09
Possible return to flight by the US Shuttle fleet
tbc
Toulouse, France: beginning of long-term bedrest study, the first in which all the subjects will be women
October
04-08/10
Vancouver, Canada: IAC 2004
tbc
Bordeaux, France: 38th parabolic flight campaign
tbc
One year before launch of first Galileo test satellite: visit to the satellite building facilities in the UK
November
tbc
Kiruna, Sweden: Maxus 6 launch
tbc
Plesetsk, Russia: launch of Cryosat
December
25/12
Huygens probe separates from Cassini and heads towards Saturn’s moon Titan
The dates of some events, especially launches, depend on various factors, such as readiness of the spacecraft and/or launcher, and thus remain tbc (to be confirmed) for some time.
All Space Shuttle, Soyuz and Ariane launch dates are provisional and will be confirmed by NASA, Rosaviakosmos and Arianespace respectively in due time.
For further information please contact:
ESA Media Relations Service:
Franco Bonacina, Brigitte Kolmsee, Anne-Marie Remondin
Tel. + 33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax. + 33(0)1.53.69.7690