Journalists are invited to learn more about the launch (known as VV25), which will coincide with the return-to-flight of Vega-C, by joining a pre-launch media briefing in English, and question-and-answer sessions in French, German, Italian and Spanish. The briefings will be held online and take place on 27 and 29 November.

ESA will also offer the opportunity to join a launch event on 3 December at its European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, where senior experts will be available for interviews on-site. Media accreditation for this opportunity will open in the last week of November.

The programme below highlights the different media activities planned ahead of launch and their respective registration process. 
Please note that journalists wishing to attend several of the events mentioned below should register for each activity separately to ensure that they receive the right link/information for each event.    

Press briefing per language  

Wednesday 27 November, 14:00-14:45 CET - French Q&A session

Participants:

• Pierre Potin, Head of the Copernicus Space Office, ESA

• Christoph Kautz, Director for Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation,  Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), European Commission

• Yvan Baillion, Director of European Business, Thales Alenia Space

• Stéphane Israël, CEO, Arianespace

• Giulio Ranzo, CEO, Avio

• Toni Tolker-Nielsen, Director of Space Transportation, ESA

Wednesday 27 November, 15:00-16:00 CET - English briefing

Participants:

• Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes, ESA

• Christoph Kautz, Director for Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation,  Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), European Commission

• Giampiero di Paolo, Deputy CEO, Senior Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation, Thales Alenia Space

• Stéphane Israël, CEO, Arianespace

• Giulio Ranzo, CEO, Avio

• Toni Tolker-Nielsen, Director of Space Transportation, ESA

Friday 29 November, 14:00-14:45 CET - Italian Q&A session

Participants:

• Pier Bargellini, Copernicus Space Programme Manager, ESA

• Mauro Facchini, Head of Earth Observation Unit, Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), European Commission

• Giampiero di Paolo, Deputy CEO, Senior Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation, Thales Alenia Space

• Fabrizio Fabiani, Head of the Vega Programme, Arianespace

• Enrico Cavallini, Head of Access to Space & In-Orbit Servicing Unit, Agenzia Spatiale Italiana

• Giulio Ranzo, CEO, Avio

• Stefano Bianchi, Head of Flight Programmes, ESA

Friday 29 November, 14:00-14:45 CET - Spanish Q&A session

Participants:

• Ramon Torres Cuesta, Project Manager of the Sentinel-1 Project, ESA

• European Commission Representative

• David Iranzo-Greus, Strategy and Marketing Director, Arianespace

Friday 29 November, 15:00-15:45 CET - German Q&A session

Participants:

• Nicolaus Hanowski, Head of Mission Management and Ground Segment Department, ESA

• Elisabeth Hamdouch, Deputy Head of Unit, Earth Observation, Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), European Commission

• Claudia Flöte, Chief Operating Officer, Arianespace

• Marino Fragnito, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Launch Services Director, Avio

• Stefano Bianchi, Head of Flight Programmes, ESA

Registration: 

Please express interest for any of the above events by Tuesday 26 November at 17:00 CET for the English media briefing and the French Q&A session, and by Thursday 28 November at 17:00 CET for the German, Spanish and Italian Q&A sessions by selecting and completing the relevant form at  

 https://blogs.esa.int/forms/ninja-forms/4oqw8 

ESA Web TV  

The English pre-launch media briefing will be streamed via ESA Web TV.  

Contacts 

ESA: