Prime Minister Jean Castex will visit the headquarters of the National Center for Space Studies (CNES) in Paris on Thursday, April 22, from where he is to attend the takeoff of the Alpha mission, commanded in part by Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, said Matignon Wednesday.
Read also: French astronaut Thomas Pesquet appointed captain of the ISS
The Crew Dragon spacecraft, built by the American company SpaceX, is scheduled to take off Thursday at 6:11 a.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, or 12:11 p.m. in Paris, to join the International Space Station (ISS). In addition to Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, from the European Space Agency (ESA), the mission includes two American astronauts, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, and Japanese Akihiko Hoshide. "
This mission is an illustration of the excellence of French and European research, and of the wealth of Franco-American cooperation in this field.
", Estimated Matignon.
During the broadcast of the take-off from the Paris headquarters of CNES, the head of government will be accompanied by the Minister of Research and Innovation, Frédérique Vidal, and the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune.
Thomas Pesquet told reporters that his presence underlined Europe's commitment to the conquest of space.
"
It is important for us as a (space) agency because we have been part of the ISS program for 20 years now and we intend to participate in what will happen next,
" said the Frenchman, notably allusion to the manned flight program to the Moon, Artemis.
During its mission, the team will be responsible for carrying out numerous scientific experiments.
Among the favorites, according to Thomas Pesquet, the examination of the effects of weightlessness on brain organoids (mini-brains created in the laboratory).
Scientists hope this research can help space agencies prepare for missions that will expose teams to the hardships of space for long periods of time, and even help fight brain disease on Earth.
Another big part of the mission was to upgrade the station's solar power system by installing new compact panels that roll out like a huge yoga mat.
Read also: How Thomas Pesquet prepared for a new historic mission in space
The launch of the Alpha mission (also called "
Crew-2
") coincides with Earth Day, and by its return in the fall, it will have contributed to environmental research by having taken 1.5 million images of phenomena like algae growth and artificial lighting at night.
