ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst will lift off from the Russian Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 20:56 GMT (21:56 pm CEST) on 28 May, heading to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. This will be the start of his six-month Blue Dot mission as a scientist and flight engineer on the Stations Expeditions 40 and 41. As part of his mission, Alexander will perform dozens of experiments in physics, biology, human physiology and radiation. A highlight will be the installation and commissioning of the German-built MSL-EML electromagnetic levitator, a facility aimed for containerless materials processing in space. ESAs ATV-5 cargo vessel will deliver the facility in July. Alexander, aged 38, holds a doctorate in geophysics and vulcanology, and has been a member of ESAs astronaut corps since 2009. Born in the southern German town of Knzelsau, Alexander has spent the last four years training for this very special challenge. He will be living and carrying out scientific research in weightlessness, 400 km above Earth. On the heels of Thomas Reiter and Hans Schlegel, Alexander Gerst is the third German ESA astronaut to visit the orbital outpost. Events Media representatives will be able to follow the launch of the Blue Dot mission from three locations in Germany: Launch event for VIP and Media hosted by ESA and DLR at the Columbus Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen ESAs Columbus Control Centre (Col-CC) on the DLR site in Oberpfaffenhofen is the hub of this mission. Pedro Duque, ESA astronaut and head of the Space Operations Office, will provide the launch commentary, alongside the centres Flight Director. Wednesday 28 May, 20:1522:15 CEST (admission for media representatives from 19:30 CEST) DLR German Aerospace Center Mnchener Strae 20, 82234 Wessling German Space Operations Centre, building 140 Please apply for accreditation by Monday, 19 May by contacting: Miriam Kamin, DLR Corporate Communications, Oberpaffenhofen Tel: +49 08153 28 2297 Mob: +49 172 7086162 Email:Miriam.Kamin@dlr.deThe cutoff date for accreditation is 19 May. ESA contact: Andreas Schepers Corporate Communications Office European Space Agency ESA/ESOC Tel: +49 6151 902546 Email:Andreas.Schepers@esa.intLaunch event at the Alter Markt in Cologne, jointly hosted by ESA, DLR and the City of Cologne Cologne is the home of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC), where all European astronauts carry out their basic training. While they are on the Station, their medical condition is monitored from EAC. The citizens of Cologne and surroundings are warmly invited to attend the launch of their astronaut into space as part of this special public viewing event. German ESA astronaut Reinhold Ewald will commentate on the live broadcast of the launch from Baikonur. Entry is free, no registration. Wednesday 28 May, 20:0022:15 CEST Alter Markt, 50667 Cologne ESA contact and regional press accreditation: Bernhard von Weyhe Corporate Communications Office European Space Agency ESA/ESOC Tel: +49 6151 904204 Email:bvw@esa.intLaunch event as part of the Science Day series at Hessischer Rundfunk (Hessian Broadcasting Corporation), Frankfurt ESAs Space Operations Centre, ESOC, is located in Darmstadt. This is the home base of Thomas Reiter, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations. In cooperation with Hessischer Rundfunk, hrINFO Radio and ESOC, regular Science Days introduce the public to the latest space projects. German ESA astronaut Gerhard Thiele will commentate on the live broadcast of the launch from Baikonur. Entry is free, no registration. 20:0022:30 CEST, Wednesday 28 May Foyer of the main studio at Hessischer Rundfunk Bertramstrasse 8, 60320 Frankfurt/Main ESA contact and regional press accreditation: Nicola Gebers de Sousa Corporate Communications Office European Space Agency ESA/ESOC Tel: +49 6151-902266 Email:Nicola.Gebers@esa.intCoverage The launch will be transmitted live via satellite (details will be available onhttp://television.esa.int/) and webstreamed on ESAs main web portalwww.esa.int(in English) as well as onwww.esa.de(in German). ESA TV offers broadcasters extensive material on the mission and its preparation via special feeds from the Baikonur cosmodrome before the launch. Broadcasters can consulthttp://television.esa.int/for the latest information and footage The latest high-resolution images can be found by registering on ESAs Photo Library for Professionals:http://www.esa-photolibrary.com/Questions on images for media can be directed toesa.photolibrary@esa.intFurther information on the mission For more information on Alexander Gerst and his mission, visit:http://www.esa.int/bluedotFollow Alexander Gerst and the Blue Dot mission on social media: Blue Dot blog:http://blogs.esa.int/alexander-gerstTwitter:http://twitter.com/astro_alexFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/ESAAlexGerstAbout the European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA has 20 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, of whom 18 are Member States of the EU. ESA has Cooperation Agreements with eight other Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement. ESA is also working with the EU to implement the Galileo and Copernicus programmes. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities. Today, it launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space. Learn more atwww.esa.intFor further information, please contact: ESA Media Relations Office Email:media@esa.intTel: +33 1 53 69 72 99

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Call for Media: ESA astronaut ready for launch to International Space Station