ISS Forum 2001 – The Space Station is open for business

From 5 to 7 June, Berlin will become the focal point for the International
Space Station (ISS) when more than 500 leaders of industry, government
officials and scientists from 22 countries gather in that city at ISS
Forum 2001, the first international conference on Space Station
utilisation covering both research and commercial opportunities, to
explore the Space Station’s potential and discover the opportunities
available to them.

With the Space Station now in orbit, the gateway to R&D and commercial use
of space is open. Scientists and some companies from around the globe have
already begun to carry out research aboard this unique laboratory, the
largest research and technology centre available to date. Businesses and
entrepreneurs from the non-space sectors as well as the space industry are
welcome on board.

The European Space Agency (ESA), together with the four other Space
Station partners and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), invite media
representatives to attend:

Opening session

Tuesday 5 June, 14:00-17:00

ISS Forum 2001

Estrel Convention Center

Berlin, Germany

Two key European ministers responsible for space, Germany’s Minister for
Research and Education, Ms Edelgard Bulmahn, and France’s Minister of
Research, Mr Roger-GÈrard Schwartzenberg, will open the afternoon.

Top-level representatives of the five space agencies involved in the Space
Station, namely NASA, Rosaviakosmos (Russia), NASDA (Japan), the Canadian
Space Agency and ESA, will outline for the first time their approach to
commercialisation of the Space Station.

The first crew to have inhabited the Space Station, from November 2000 to
March 2001, will also be present, for the first time in Europe, to discuss
their life and work on board and lead participants through “their Space
Station” with the help of 3D virtual reality simulation.

Conference attendees will be able to meet the “builders” of the Space
Station – the companies developing the modules and other hardware – and
current “users” – companies in areas ranging from hi-tech to media that
are already benefiting from being on board.

Press are welcome to attend the full three-day conference at no charge.
For the complete programme, see the conference web site:
www.ISSForum2001.com.

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

Clare Mattok

ESA Communication Department

Tel: +33 (0) 1.53.69.74.12

Mobile: +33 (0) 6.08.75.83.95

Vanadis Weber

DLR Press Office

Tel: +49 2003 601 3068

ISS Forum 2001 press centre (from 4-7 June)

Berlin, Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 30 6831 45134

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ISS Forum 2001

Estrel Convention Center, Berlin

5-7 June 2001

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