ESA highlights in 2022

 A very busy year 2022 lies ahead for ESA: Artemis I, the first mission for NASA’s Orion with its European Service Module (ESM), will be launched into orbit around the Moon, the ExoMars 2022 rover will start its journey to Mars, and Italian ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti will start her second mission to the International Space Station and serve as commander for first part of Expedition 68.

The list below gives media representatives an overview of the most important events on the agency’s agenda. Please note that the dates can be subject to change. ESA will inform about the precise dates closer to the actual events.

1st Quarter 2022:

Annual press conference of ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher in ESA HQ Paris, France
Date: 18 January 2022 (virtual participation is also possible)

Launch of the Artemis I mission into orbit around the Moon
Date: February 2022

More information: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Orion/Artemis_1
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/Moon_media_kit

2nd Quarter 2022:

Italian ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti starts her second mission to the International Space Station and serves as commander on Expedition 68  
Date: April 2022

More information:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Commanding_role_for_ESA_astronaut_Samantha_Cristoforetti
https://blogs.esa.int/exploration/de/category/astronauts/samantha-cristoforetti/

3rd Quarter 2022:

James Webb Space Telescope ‘Early Release Science’ Data Release
(first images and spectra)
Date: June/July 2022

More information:
https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/science/Webb-LaunchKit_EN.pdf

4th Quarter 2022:

End of ESA’s astronaut selection process: ESA introduces the new class of ESA astronauts
Date: November 2022

More information: 
www.esa.int/yourwaytospace