ESA Prepares for Next ISS Mission

Yesterday, September 5, the European Space Agency (ESA) finally revealed the name of the long-term mission astronaut André Kuipers will carry out aboard the International Space Station (ISS). His stay will begin in December 2011.

The astronaut was selected to represent ESA and Europe as part of the ISS collaboration during Expedition 30, which will also include NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Dan Burbank, as well as Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoli Ivanishin and Oleg Kononenko.

Burbank, Ivanishin and Shkaplerov will also be part of Expedition 29. They are scheduled to launch in September, just a month ahead of the other three. When the ESA astronaut and his teammates arrive in orbit, the event will mark the beginning of Expedition 30.

Ahead of the launch, ESA kept in line with tradition, and asked the general public to find a name for Kuipers' mission. More than 200 proposals were sent from numerous European Union member states, as well as from other countries, including Slovenia, Australia, India, Mexico and Argentina.

The youngest writer was an Italian boy just 13 years old, while the oldest one was a Dutchman who had reached the venerable age of 82. ESA selected the name PromISSe for use as its official designation.

Wim Holwerda, a 61-year-old Dutchman, was the author of the design and logo that made the final cut. He explains in his letter that PromISSe stands for “Program for Research in Orbit Maximizing the Inspiration from the Space Station for Europe.”

This designation “symbolizes the promise space exploration poses to the future of our planet and humankind, as well as the role Europe can play in it,” the author explained in the accompanying paper.

According to an ESA press release, “three powerful messages are integrated in PromISSe: the crucial role of scientific research, a greater use of the Space Station and the inspirational value of ESA space programs.” Science, technology and education therefore remain primary focal points for the mission.

“The globe stands for a knowledge-based society focused on our planet. The electronic circuit denotes technology. The conical laboratory flask illustrates scientific research,” the ESA statement reveals.

“The PromISSe name crowns a circular design belted with orange cords, while the International Space Station acronym is highlighted in the same colour to bring out the Dutch participation in the mission. The core of the logo is a globe free of national borders,” the statement concludes.