Jacques van Oene
July 20th 05, 02:02 PM
ESA transfer ownership of European-built ISS observation module to NASA
20 July 2005
Ownership of the European-built Cupola observation module for the
International Space Station (ISS) was officially transferred to NASA on 7
July 2005. The signature, which took place at the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida marks the conclusion of ESA's obligations for the Cupola's
development as part of a bilateral barter agreement between ESA and NASA.
Under this agreement the European Space Agency provides the Cupola in
exchange for Shuttle transportation services for European equipment and
experiments for the Station. The 1.8 tonne Cupola will now remain in storage
before being prepared for its launch, which is currently planned for the
first quarter of 2009.
The Cupola is an observation and control tower for the International Space
Station (ISS), with windows that provide a panoramic view through which
operations on the outside of the Station can be observed and guided.
It is a pressurised module that will accommodate command and control
workstations and other hardware. This will allow crewmembers in the Cupola
to control the Space Station's robotic arm, which helps with the attachment
and assembly of the various Station elements, and communicate with
crewmembers in other parts of the Station or outside during spacewalk
activities. The Cupola will further provide observational applications in
the areas of Earth Observation and Space Science.
"The Cupola is just one example of how ESA is meeting its obligations to the
International Space Station Programme," said Alan Thirkettle, ESA's Head of
Development for the Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and
Exploration.
"It will provide a unique control and viewpoint for robotic work undertaken
outside of the ISS and a welcome view of Earth for the Station crews. When
it is launched in 2009 it will be joining Europe's other major contributions
to the ISS including the Columbus Laboratory, due for launch in 2007, and
the two connecting modules, Node 2 planned for launch in December 2006 and
Node 3, which will also become the connection point for the Cupola, in 2008"
The document transferring ownership of the Cupola from ESA to NASA was
signed on 7 July 2005 by Alan Thirkettle, on behalf of ESA, and Mike
Suffredini, on behalf of William Gerstenmaier, NASA's International Space
Station Programme Manager. Others present at the signing included ESA Cupola
Project Manager, Philippe Deloo and Alenia Spazio Cupola Project Manager
Doriana Buffa.
The Cupola's development started following signature of the contract between
ESA and its prime contractor for the Cupola's development, Alenia Spazio, on
8 February 1999.
As prime contractor Alenia Spazio in Turin (Italy) coordinated six other
European companies: CASA (Spain), APCO (Switzerland), SAAB Ericsson and
Lindholmen Development (Sweden), EADS Space Transportation (Germany) and
Verhaert (Belgium).
This development contract came to fruition when Alenia Spazio handed over
ownership of the Cupola to ESA on 6 September 2004 at a ceremony in Turin.
It was hereafter shipped to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral,
Florida (USA) for final verification testing.
"It is always a pleasure to see a project coming together so well with the
contributions of Industry from many European countries," said Daniel
Sacotte, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration.
"The coming years will be a very exciting and challenging time for ESA as we
see the core European ISS elements being launched and attached to the ISS,
and contributing to the largest research facility in space."
For further information please contact:
Franco Bonacina
Media Relations
ESA Public Relations Division
Tel: +33 1 5369 7155
Fax: +33 1 5369 7690
Dieter Isakeit
Erasmus User Centre and Communication Office
Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Noordwijk
(The Netherlands)
Tel: +31 71 565 5451
Fax: +31 71 565 8008
Related articles
. Largest window for space completed
(http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHAL0XDYD_index_0.html)
. A room with a view for the International Space Station: Completion of
the cupola observation module
(http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZH40XDYD_index_0.html)
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
20 July 2005
Ownership of the European-built Cupola observation module for the
International Space Station (ISS) was officially transferred to NASA on 7
July 2005. The signature, which took place at the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida marks the conclusion of ESA's obligations for the Cupola's
development as part of a bilateral barter agreement between ESA and NASA.
Under this agreement the European Space Agency provides the Cupola in
exchange for Shuttle transportation services for European equipment and
experiments for the Station. The 1.8 tonne Cupola will now remain in storage
before being prepared for its launch, which is currently planned for the
first quarter of 2009.
The Cupola is an observation and control tower for the International Space
Station (ISS), with windows that provide a panoramic view through which
operations on the outside of the Station can be observed and guided.
It is a pressurised module that will accommodate command and control
workstations and other hardware. This will allow crewmembers in the Cupola
to control the Space Station's robotic arm, which helps with the attachment
and assembly of the various Station elements, and communicate with
crewmembers in other parts of the Station or outside during spacewalk
activities. The Cupola will further provide observational applications in
the areas of Earth Observation and Space Science.
"The Cupola is just one example of how ESA is meeting its obligations to the
International Space Station Programme," said Alan Thirkettle, ESA's Head of
Development for the Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and
Exploration.
"It will provide a unique control and viewpoint for robotic work undertaken
outside of the ISS and a welcome view of Earth for the Station crews. When
it is launched in 2009 it will be joining Europe's other major contributions
to the ISS including the Columbus Laboratory, due for launch in 2007, and
the two connecting modules, Node 2 planned for launch in December 2006 and
Node 3, which will also become the connection point for the Cupola, in 2008"
The document transferring ownership of the Cupola from ESA to NASA was
signed on 7 July 2005 by Alan Thirkettle, on behalf of ESA, and Mike
Suffredini, on behalf of William Gerstenmaier, NASA's International Space
Station Programme Manager. Others present at the signing included ESA Cupola
Project Manager, Philippe Deloo and Alenia Spazio Cupola Project Manager
Doriana Buffa.
The Cupola's development started following signature of the contract between
ESA and its prime contractor for the Cupola's development, Alenia Spazio, on
8 February 1999.
As prime contractor Alenia Spazio in Turin (Italy) coordinated six other
European companies: CASA (Spain), APCO (Switzerland), SAAB Ericsson and
Lindholmen Development (Sweden), EADS Space Transportation (Germany) and
Verhaert (Belgium).
This development contract came to fruition when Alenia Spazio handed over
ownership of the Cupola to ESA on 6 September 2004 at a ceremony in Turin.
It was hereafter shipped to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral,
Florida (USA) for final verification testing.
"It is always a pleasure to see a project coming together so well with the
contributions of Industry from many European countries," said Daniel
Sacotte, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration.
"The coming years will be a very exciting and challenging time for ESA as we
see the core European ISS elements being launched and attached to the ISS,
and contributing to the largest research facility in space."
For further information please contact:
Franco Bonacina
Media Relations
ESA Public Relations Division
Tel: +33 1 5369 7155
Fax: +33 1 5369 7690
Dieter Isakeit
Erasmus User Centre and Communication Office
Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Noordwijk
(The Netherlands)
Tel: +31 71 565 5451
Fax: +31 71 565 8008
Related articles
. Largest window for space completed
(http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMHAL0XDYD_index_0.html)
. A room with a view for the International Space Station: Completion of
the cupola observation module
(http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMZH40XDYD_index_0.html)
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info