This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

European Space Agency

Press Release

ESA's SMART-1 ready to fly
 
11 July 2003
 
After the completion of all mechanical and electrical verifications,
ESA's SMART-1 passed its flight readiness review successfully on
Tuesday, 8 July 2003. 
 
SMART-1, Europe's first mission to the moon, will be sent to the ESA
launch site at Kourou in French Guiana at the beginning of next week.
The last electrical checks and fuelling will take place here before
the spacecraft is mated with its Ariane 5 launcher. SMART-1 will be a
co-passenger together with two other satellites on board this
launcher. The launch is currently scheduled for 28 August 2003
(Kourou time).

SMART-1 will be the first ESA mission to test solar-electric
propulsion as a main propulsion system. It will also test advanced
miniaturisation technology which will pave the way for future
planetary missions.

Giuseppe Racca, ESA's SMART-1 Project Manager, said: "Everything has
gone as expected. We're proud of the work done and we are looking
forward to sending SMART-1 to the Moon." 
 
For more information, please contact:
 
ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: + 33 15369 7155
Fax: + 33 15369 7690

ESA Science Programme Communication Service
Tel: + 31 71 565 3273
Fax: + 31 71 565 4101

 - END OF FILE -
==========

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---