ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespola: Countdown to MagISStra mission liftoff

28-2010 ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli will be launched to the International Space Station on 15 December at 20:09 CET (16 December 01:09 Baikonur time).

Media are invited to the main event in Nespoli's home town of Verano Brianza, with subsidiary events in Paris and Cologne.


Paolo Nespoli's MagISStra mission is Europe's third long-duration flight on the International Space Station (ISS).

His duties during the six-month mission will include receiving Europe's second ATV supply ferry and exploiting the research capabilities of Europe's Columbus laboratory with an intensive programme of scientific experiments.

For more information about Paolo and the MagISStra mission, please visit: www.esa.int/magisstra

The main launch event will be held in Paolo's home town, Verano Brianza, Italy, not far from his birthplace.