Paris, 7 April 2004
Press Release
N° 19-2004


Follow the Delta launch and docking with the International Space Station
from one of ESA's establishments.



The launch of ESA's Delta mission to the International Space Station (ISS)
from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is currently scheduled for 19
April at 05:18 Central European Summer time (03:18 GMT - 09:18 local
time). Docking with the ISS is scheduled for 21 April at about 07:00 CEST
(05:00 GMT - 09:00 Moscow time), with the opening of the hatch at 08:25
CEST. The return to Earth is currently planned on 30 April.

ESA astronaut André Kuipers, a Dutch national, starts this 10-day mission
in company with the NASA astronaut Edward Michael Fincke and the Russian
Gennady Padalka, the next ISS crew. The main objectives of this flight are
to carry out a full programme of scientific experiments, technology
demonstrations and educational activities and to relieve the Expedition -
8 crew (the American Michael Foale and the Russian Alexander Kaleri).

Media representatives in Europe can follow the launch and/or docking
phases at ESA/HQ in Paris, France, ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, (Space Expo), in
the Netherlands, ESA/ESRIN, Frascati, in Italy, or ESA/ESOC, Darmstadt, in
Germany. At each site ESA specialists will be available for interview.

Those wishing to attend are asked to complete the attached reply form and
fax it to the Communications Office at the establishment of their choice.

The ESA TV service will rebroadcast the NASA-TV live coverage of the
launch, with English commentary, between 04:30 and 05:30 CEST. Details of
the transmission schedule and the various pre-launch video news releases
can be found on http://television.esa.int as from 13 April 2004.

On the Delta launch special website at http://www.esa.int/delta/ you can
also find news, press releases, videos, images and more about the mission.


For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Division
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690



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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info