N° 36–2021: Call for Media: Astronaut training in the land of volcanoes
10 November 2021
On Monday 15 November, media representatives are invited to join a press conference in Lanzarote, Spain, about ESA’s Pangaea geological training course.
A team of astronauts, engineers and geologists is travelling to one of Europe’s volcanic hot spots to learn how to best explore the Moon and Mars.
This edition’s participants are ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen , ESA engineer Robin Eccleston and NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins , who is part of the group of NASA astronauts selected to potentially land on the Moon for the Artemis missions, where research on lunar geology will be crucial.
Lanzarote’s basaltic lava flows resemble vast plains on the lunar maria and its volcanoes are similar to those in some regions of Mars.
Pangaea – named after the ancient supercontinent – prepares astronauts for expeditions to other planets. Trainees acquire skills and knowledge, both in the field and in the classroom, to become efficient planetary explorers.
Programme
Monday, 15 November 2021
Place: Caldera del Cuervo, Lanzarote.
Meeting point > Parking Caldera del Cuervo.
Time: 13.45h to 15:30h. GMT ( Canary Island )
13:45 Arrival and accreditation
14:00 Start of programme with short introduction of the speakers
14:30 Q&A
15:00 Individual interviews upon request
15:30 End of programme
Participants
- Loredana Bessone, Pangaea Project Manager, ESA
- Andreas Mogensen, astronaut, ESA
- Kate Rubins, astronaut, NASA
- María Dolores Corujo, President of the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
- Ariagona González, Councillor for the Environment, Cabildo de Lanzarote.
Media registration
Please register using this form by Friday 12 November 2021.
Contact
If you have further questions or interview requests, please contact media@esa.int
If you have a request for the local authorities taking part in this event, please contact comunicacion@centrosturisticos.com
Social media
Follow ESA on:
Twitter: @esa, @esaspaceflight,
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency,
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency,
YouTube: ESA
Images
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images
Pangaea Flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/europeanastronauttraining/albums/72157719770804497
Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images
For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.
Videos
Pangaea video: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2018/09/Pangaea_geology_training_for_space_exploration
Pangaea video for professionals (B-rolls): https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/09/Pangaea_Training_2021_B-Rolls
Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions
For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.
More additional information
Pangaea blog: https://blogs.esa.int/caves/category/pangaea/
About the European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organization, 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. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.
ESA has established formal cooperation with five 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