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Paris, 26 March 2003
Press Release
Nx 20-2003

ESA to sign contract with DLR for Columbus Control Centre 

On 31 March at Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, Germany, ESA Director
of Human Spaceflight Mr Jörg Feustel-Büechl will sign a EUR 37.7 m
contract with DLR, the German national agency for aerospace research
and spaceflight, to develop the Columbus Control Centre for the
European Columbus laboratory on the International Space Station
(ISS).

Columbus is a European science laboratory built to facilitate
European research in space. It is the cornerstone of the European
contribution to the ISS project and represents Europe as a key
partner in the Space Station programme. ESA expects to launch the
laboratory in October 2004. 

The main functions of the Columbus Control Centre will be to command
and control the Columbus laboratory systems, to provide and operate
the European ground communications network for the facility, and to
coordinate operations for the European payloads on board the
International Space Station.

"The Columbus laboratory and the Columbus Control Centre are vital
elements of the European participation in the International Space
Station," said Mr. Feustel-Büechl, "the signature with DLR for the
Columbus Control Centre demonstrates Europe's commitment to the
International Space Station programme".

Once the Columbus Control Centre is set up in Oberpfaffenhofen, on
the premises of DLR's German Space Operations Centre (GSOC) and ready
for operations in 2004, DLR will take responsibility under a further
ESA contract for management of the centre and coordinate and support
all on-orbit operations of the Columbus laboratory on behalf of ESA.
The Columbus assembly mission, scheduled for October 2004, and the
first period of Columbus operations will be managed by an Integrated
Flight Control Team consisting of DLR, Astrium and ESA personnel led
by an ESA Flight Director. For subsequent periods, DLR will lead the
Columbus Laboratory Flight Control Team, with up to 90 operators. The
team will act on ESA's behalf vis-à-vis NASA and other ISS partners
for the execution of all Columbus operations.

The Columbus Control Centre has to be operational in time to provide
ground communication services for the ESA Automated Transfer Vehicle
(ATV) Control Centre in Toulouse, France. The ATV is scheduled to be
launched by Ariane 5 from Kourou, French Guiana, in September 2004
and is designed to resupply the ISS and carry out orbit reboost
operations. 

In placing this contract, ESA is recognising the long-standing
experience and competence of DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen in the
management of manned spaceflight operations. DLR has been involved in
spacecraft operations for 35 years and in the management of manned
spaceflight missions since the first European Spacelab mission in
1983. Since 1998 DLR specialists have contributed to the design and
preparation of the Columbus Control Centre. 

Media representatives wishing to attend the contract signature event
at DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen on 31 March at 11:00 (see programme
attached) are kindly requested to complete the attached accreditation
form and return it, preferably by fax, to ESA Media Relations Service
in Paris (Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690).

For further information on the Columbus Control Centre, please
contact:

Robert Chesson,
Head of the Operations Management Division, 
Directorate of Human Spaceflight
Tel: +31 71 656 3341
Fax: + 31 71 565 5431
_____________________________________________________________________

ESA Columbus Control Centre Contract Signature
DLR/GSOC - Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich (Germany)
Monday 31 March 2003
10.15 Doors open for check-in and refreshments  
11.00 Welcome address - Prof. Bernd Höfer, DLR
Role and importance of the Columbus Control Centre in the overall
operations of the ISS - Jörg Feustel-Büechl, ESA

The Columbus Control Centre, the culmination of 35 years' spaceflight
operations control at GSOC - Prof. Achim Bachem, DLR

Signature of Contract   

Columbus Control Centre operations - Robert Chesson, ESA

Design and implementation of the Columbus Control Centre -Prof. Klaus
Wittman, DLR

Questions and Answers   

12.00 - Opportunities for individual interviews
Buffet lunch    


Place:  DLR/GSOC Oberpfaffenhofen, near MunichMotorway A 96,
Munich-Lindau, Exit: Oberpfaffenhofen, then follow the signs to DLR.
You can download a map from:

http//www2.dlr.de/Oberpaffenhofen/karte.pdfContact

Telephone during the event :DLR Public Relations
Tel: +49(0)8153.28.2297
_____________________________________________________________________

 
ESA Columbus Control Centre Contract Signature
DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich (Germany)
Monday 31 March 2003, 11h00


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Please return by fax to:
ESA Media Relations Service
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690

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