The countdown for the PromISSe mission has begun! With only five weeks to go until his planned 21 December launch, you can learn all about ESA astronaut André Kuipers’ tasks in space and stay tuned for the latest information on the new PromISSE website.

As flight engineer on the station, André will have several assignments, ranging from maintenance to payload operations. He will be the prime crew member overseeing the rendezvous and docking operations of ESA’s third Automated Transfer Vehicle, Edoardo Amaldi, (ATV-3), together with Expedition 30 Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko.

Side note: Kononenko performed two spacewalks during his first spaceflight in 2008. The maiden flight of ATV Jules Verne took place during that mission and now he will assist André Kuipers during the docking manoeuvres of ATV Edoardo Amaldi.

PromISSe website esa.int/promisse

PromISSe website esa.int/promisse