The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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European Space Laboratory Columbus is ready for launch.
ESA TV Exchanges
The excitement is building for the launch of ESA's Space Laboratory Columbus. Europe is poised for the start of the most intense period of human spaceflight since Spacelab. Throughout Europe, hundreds of people have been contributing to build this laboratory. Attached to the International Space Station, it will allow three astronauts to simultaneously conduct experiments in the fields of biology, human physiology, fluid science, material science, space science and technology. Of the many contributions from Europe to the ISS, which include the two connecting elements (Node 2 and 3) and the Automated Transfer Vehicle, Columbus is undoubtedly the most important.
The script is online as a PDF file under http://television.esa.int/photos/EbS54235.pdf
A WMV preview clip is online under http://esatv-movies.e-vision.nl/videos/mphi/COLUMBUS_LAB_READY_DV_24-10-07_wmphigh.wmv
European Space Laboratory Columbus is ready for launch
10 00 40 00 The European Space Laboratory Columbus is ready for launch. Col tilted in SSPF
The Laboratory is closed; all systems are checked and installed. The next step is to transfer Columbus and the external payload carrier by canister to the Space Shuttle Atlantis, where they will be mounted into the cargo bay in the second week of November. Col tilted and moving through SSPF Col in SSPF facility Shuttle launch ISS
Then, there will be less than one month to go until ESAís Space laboratory is launched into space towards the International Space Station.
10 01 07 21 Statement Alan Thirkettle, ESA ISS Programme Manager: ""Weíre about to go through a big transition on the programme. We have been designing, developing and waiting to fly for a long, long time. And in the next 4 months we are going to put 45 tones up onto the Station, with Node 2, with Columbus, and then following earlier on in the new ye