N° 36–1996: Space again on show at Farnborough 96

The spotlight in the Space Pavilion this year is on space science models and particularly on Huygens, ESA's space probe to Saturn's moon Titan, to be launched in October 1997, and on SOHO, Europe's sun observer launched at the end of 1995. A 3D virtual reality theatre will allow visitors to discover the International Space Station 'as if they were there', while an Ariane-5 1:5 mock-up towering outside the main entrance will show the way to the Pavilion. The Pavilion will also host an interactive display area: a cyberspace terminal, with the latest Internet news, and hands-on units featuring the best of space R&D and space teaching information. Many demonstrations of space applications, including technology transfer, will be displayed.

The Pavilion opens at 1000 hrs on Monday 2 September with a "Press Breakfast" hosted by Ian Taylor, Britain's Minister for space; Jean-Marie Luton, Director General of ESA; and Pat Norris, Chairman of the UKISC.

On Tuesday 3 September at 1130 hrs, ESA and BNSC specialists will host a briefing session on Earth Observation focusing on ERS and Envisat. On Wednesday 4 September at 1100 ESA and BNSC/PPARC (Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council) scientists will brief the media on the Cluster-Phoenix, Huygens, Rosetta and XMM projects.

For the rest of the week, media representatives can visit the Pavilion, meet and talk to experts and be briefed on current and future programmes spanning satellite communications (Thursday 5 September), technology transfer and small satellites (Friday 6 September) and space and education (Saturday 7 September).