The ANNOTICO Report

The Soyuz  ENEIDE Mission launched Friday 15th from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
in  Kazakhstan. The main objectives of the mission are to exchange the
current Expedition 10 crew (Chiao and Sharipov) Expedition 11 crew
(Krikalev and Phillips), to perform a full program of major scientific
experiments,  and exchange the station lifeboat.

ITALIAN Astronaut Roberto Vittori will take an active role in both piloting
and docking the spacecraft of the crew of three.This is the first time that
a European astronaut will be on his second mission to the ISS. From 25
April to 5 May 2002 Vittori took part in the Marco Polo mission.

The ESA mission, is co-sponsored by the ITALIAN Ministry of Defence and the
Lazio Region, with the support of Finmeccanica, FILAS and the Rome Chamber
of Commerce (CCIAA). Many of the experiments are being developed by Italian
researchers and built by Italian industry and research institutions.

The mission is called ENEIDE and takes its name from the epic tale written
by the Latin poet Virgil in the 1st century BC. This story tells of the
journey of Aeneas from Troy to Italy and the foundation of Rome.

Radio contact will be established from the Space Station to selected
children from only  ITALIAN schools during a pass over western Europe.

The Soyuz FG  Eneide Mission launched Friday 15th at 02:46 CEST (04:46
Moscow time, 00:46 UT). Taking part in the Soyuz mission Eneide are
Commander Sergei Krikalev (Roscosmos), the Italian astronaut Roberto
Vittori (ESA) as Flight Engineer, and John Phillips (NASA) as Second Flight
Engineer.

The Eneide Mission will last ten days, of which eight days will be spent in
orbit on the International Space Station. The main objectives of the
mission are: Exchange the ISS emergency return vehicle: the Soyuz TMA-5
will be replaced by the Soyuz TMA-6; Exchange the tenth crew, on board the
Space Station for six months; Perform an experimental programme of
scientific interest; Expand the experience of European astronauts on board
the Space Station.

Thanks to the educational project ARISS, Amateur Radio on the ISS, an
international working group of volunteering amateur radio operators. Radio
contact will be established from the ISS to selected children from ITALIAN
schools during a pass of the Space Station over western Europe. This
exercise serves as an educational tool for making children aware of space,
a topic that is often not covered in school syllabuses. It is important to
bring space to the children to provide them with a better understanding of
the benefits of space and how science in space can also improve life for us
here on Earth.

ESA Eneide Mission Website --  http://www.busoc.be/news.en.htm

The mission is called ENEIDE and takes its name from the epic tale written
by the Latin poet Virgil in the 1st century BC. This story tells of the
journey of Aeneas from Troy to Italy and the foundation of Rome.

Vittori is a member of ESA's European Astronaut Corps and also an active
Italian Air Force pilot. He is scheduled to take off on flight 10S to the
ISS as flight engineer on board the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft alongside the
Soyuz Commander and Roskosmos cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and NASA astronaut
John Phillips. The main objectives of the mission are: for the ESA
astronaut to perform a full experimental programme of major scientific
interest and valuable international co-operation on board the ISS; to
exchange the station lifeboat, Soyuz TMA-5, for Soyuz TMA-6; and to
exchange the current ISS Expedition 10 crew (Leroy Chiao and Salizhan
Sharipov) for the ISS Expedition 11 crew (Krikalev and Phillips).

As flight engineer on both the ascent phase and the return journey, Vittori
will take an active role in piloting and docking the spacecraft. Seven
European astronauts have flown to and worked on the ISS so far though this
is the first time that a European astronaut will be on his second mission
to the ISS. From 25 April to 5 May 2002 Vittori took part in the Marco Polo
mission. This will also be the first time that four of the five ISS
partners, the ESA Member States known as the "European Partner", Russia,
the United States and Canada, have taken part in a Soyuz mission to the
ISS, since the backup astronaut for Roberto Vittori is Robert Thirsk from
the Canadian Space Agency (Canada is an ESA Co-operating State).

The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft will remain docked with the ISS for six months
to act as an emergency return vehicle for the ISS Expedition 11 crew. For
Vittori's return journey in Soyuz TMA-5, he will be accompanied by the
current ISS crew, Leroy Chiao, Expedition 10 Commander, and Salizhan
Sharipov, Expedition 10 Flight Engineer. Soyuz TMA-5 is the spacecraft
which carried the Expedition 10 crew to the ISS in October. Sergei Krikalev
will take over from Leroy Chiao as ISS Commander and John Phillips from
Salizhan Sharipov as ISS Flight Engineer.

ENEIDE, an ESA mission, is co-sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Defence
and the Lazio Region, with the support of Finmeccanica, FILAS and the Rome
Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA). Many of the experiments are being developed by
Italian researchers and built by Italian industry and research institutions.

"I am pleased to see this mission taking shape with such a great degree of
international involvement", said Daniel Sacotte, ESA's Director of Human
Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Programmes, "ENEIDE, as with all
human spaceflight missions, will benefit many areas of life and further
expand the experience of the European Astronaut Corps. This will help us on
the road to further human exploration of our solar system".

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/
n0412/12esasoyuz/

PERSONAL DATA: Born on 15 October 1964 in Viterbo, Italy. Married to the
former Valeria Nardi of Citta’ di Castello, Italy. They have three
children. Enjoys soccer, running, swimming and reading.

EDUCATION: Graduated from the Italian Air Force Academy in 1989. Completed
basic training with the U.S. Air Force at Reese Air Force Base in Texas,
US, in 1990. Graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School in 1995.
Completed the Italian Air Force’s Accident Prevention course (Guidonia
A.F.B., Italy) and Accident Investigation course (Kirtland A.F.B., New
Mexico, US) between 1996 and 1997.

SPECIAL HONORS: Academic award at the Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese
Air Force Base, Texas. Honour student at the Test Pilot School, Patuxent
River, Maryland. Honour student at the United States Flight Safety School,
Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Italian Air Force Long Service Medal
(1997).

EXPERIENCE: Following graduation from undergraduate pilot training in 1990,
Roberto Vittori flew Tornado GR1 aircraft with the 155th Squadron, 50th
Wing, Piacenza, Italy from 1991 to 1994. During that time, he qualified for
day/night air-to-air refuelling as well as a formation leader.

In 1995, he completed the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School training. He then
served at the Italian Test Centre as project pilot for the development of
the new European aircraft, the EuroFighter EF2000, until 1998. From 1996 to
1998, he was the national representative in the Beyond Visual Range
Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) research and development program.

In 1997, he attended the U.S. Air Force Flight Safety School and from 1997
to 1998, he was wing Flight Safety Officer at the Italian Test Centre. He
was also a teacher of aerodynamics for the Italian Air Force’s Accident
Investigation Course.

Roberto Vittori is a major in the Italian Air Force. He has logged nearly
2000 hours in over 40 different aircraft, including F-104, Tornado GR1,
F-18, AMX, M-2000, G-222 and P-180.

In July 1998, he was selected as an astronaut by the Italian Space Agency
(ASI), in cooperation with ESA and, one month later, he joined the European
Astronaut Corps, whose homebase is ESA’s European Astronaut Centre in
Cologne, Germany.

In August 1998, he was relocated to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston,
Texas, and entered the 1998 Astronaut class for participation in a training
program that qualifies astronauts for future assignment on the Space
Shuttle and International Space Station. Roberto Vittori completed his
mission specialist training and subsequently performed technical duties in
the Space Shuttle Operations Systems Branch.

In August 2001 he took up training as board engineer at the Yuri Gagarin
Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Star City near Moscow for preparations
for this first spaceflight in spring 2002.

In August 2002, Roberto Vittori was relocated to NASA’s Johnson Space
Center in Houston, where he supported the New Generation Space Vehicles
Branch.

In October 2004 Roberto Vittori took up training again at Star City for his
second mission to the International Space Station. This Italian Soyuz
mission "ENEIDE" is scheduled to be launched in April 2005. As flight
engineer on both ascent and return, Vittori will take an active role in
piloting and docking the spacecraft. On board the ISS, Vittori will also
have to perform an extensive experimental program.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: From April 25 to May 5, 2002, Roberto Vittori
participated in a taxi-flight to the International Space Station, under an
agreement between the Russian Space Agency Rosaviakosmos, the Italian Space
Agency ASI and ESA. One main goal of this mission was the successful
delivery of a new “lifeboat” to the Station for use by the resident crew in
the event of an emergency.

March 2005
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
htmlbios/vittori.html