EAC: the European Astronaut Centre
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EAC: The European Astronaut Centre Activities within the Single European Astronaut Corps G. Thiele participated as Mission Specialist in the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STS-99), which carried out the three- dimensional mapping of most of the Earth’s land surface. Mission- preparation support for STS-100/ MPLM, with ESA Astronaut U. Guidoni, is being provided at Johnson Space Centre (JSC). An agreement with ASI on the co- operation related to this first mission by a European astronaut to the ISS is being prepared. Thomas Reiter received the ‘Space Award 2000’ from the Discovery Channel and the ‘Verein zur Förderung der Raumfahrt’ during the year. Claudie André-Deshays and Jean Pierre Haigneré received the ‘Ordre du Courage’ from the President of the Russian Federation. The foyer of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) Preparations for Astronaut Activities during the ISS Era In September, the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) finalised the Charter and Disciplinary Policy for ISS Crew. The MCOP is the primary forum for the co-ordination and resolution of top-level ISS crew matters, including the certification, assignment and All 16 current members of the European Astronaut Corps, together at the 10th Anniversary of EAC, on 17 May 87 Dr. Ernst Messerschmid, Head of EAC, evaluation of ISS astronauts, as well as opening the Celebrations the policies for training and operations. The MCOP Charter, the Disciplinary Policy and the Crew Code of Conduct were subsequently approved by the ISS Multilateral Control Board (MCB) at its first meeting. As a result of the arrangements reached with DLR, CNES and ASI, 23 staff have been integrated into the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) to provide astronaut training, medical operations and astronaut support. A further nine experts are expected to join the team within the next two years, bringing the total number of ESA and seconded staff and astronauts on site to around 70 by 2003. The European Astronaut Centre was the main attraction for the German Space Day, on 24 September. Dr. Uwe Thomas, State Secretary of the German Ministry for Education and Research, visited EAC and the event attracted more than 60 000 visitors. Dr. Uwe Thomas, State Secretary of the German Ministry for Education and Space Shuttle Commander Kevin Kregel (right) and ESA Mission Specialist Research (centre) in discussion with ESA Astronauts Gerhard Thiele and Gerhard Thiele handing over a Commemorative Collage, including a Reinhold Ewald (in overalls, right and left), Jörg Feustel-Büechl (right), German flag flown on their STS-99 mission, to German Chancellor Gerhard Director of ESA’s Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme, and Schröder, in the presence of ESA’s Director General, Antonio Rodotà (far left), Prof. Dr. Walter Kröll (left), Head of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the Head of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Prof. Dr. Walter Kröll 88.