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Paris, 24 January 2002		
Press Release

Venus express'contract signature
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The European Space Agency (ESA) and Astrium will sign, on Tuesday 28
January, at ESA HQ at 02:00 p.m., a contract for the design and
development of Venus Express, the first European spacecraft to visit 
the planet Venus.

Venus Express is scheduled for launch from the Baïkonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan during November 2005. It will be carried into space by a
Soyuz-Fregat rocket and placed immediately in its transfer orbit to 
Venus.  Its journey through space will last about 5 months for a 
mission duration around Venus of nearly 2 venusian years.

Media representatives wishing to attend the signature at ESA HQ (8/10, 
rue Mario Nikis - Paris15) are kindly requested to complete the 
attached accreditation form and return it, preferably by fax, to the 
ESA Media Relations Service in Paris (Fax: +33.1.5369.7690).

For further information please contact :
ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: +33.1.5369.7155
Fax: +33.1.5369.7690
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Venus Express' Contract Signature
ESA/HQ - 8/10, rue Mario Nikis - 75015-Paris
Tuesday 28 January 2003 - xxhoo

First Name : ______________________ Surname : _______________________

Media : _____________________________________________________________

Address : ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Tel: ______________________________ Fax:_____________________________

Mobile :___________________________ e-mail : ________________________


(  ) I will be attending the above signature
(  ) I will not be attending

Please fax this form back to
ESA Media Relations Service
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690

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