ESA & DLR German Aerospace Day - September 18, 2011

And here we are at the European Space Agency's Astronaut Center in Cologne. They have a fantastic tent for all the Tweetup SpaceTweeps, including tables, power outlets and WiFi. And everybody is extremely welcoming.

Throughout the day I will be updating this blog here. So check back for more pictures and information. I will just add them to the bottom each time I make an update. This way I keep some sort of "time-line".

Let's get started.

Had to get up early and take the train. Morning gang! 

Then it was time to take the cool bus! I am always on the cool bus. 

The European Astronaut Center (EAC) was established in 1990 and is located here in Cologne. After its foundation in 1990, three ESA astronauts were based at EAC. They were selected in 1978 for the first Spacelab mission on the Space Shuttle in 1983. ESA Astronaut Ulf Merbold (Germany) flew on that mission. Wubbo Ockels (Netherlands) flew on Spacelab D1 mission 1985. Claude Nicollier (Switzerland) completed his first mission on Space Shuttle STS-46 in 1992. Nicollier participated in three further Shuttle missions in 1993 (STS-61), 1996 (STS-75) and in 1999 (STS-103). He also become the first European to perform an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA - or spacewalk) during a Shuttle mission. 

 My friends from @ESA, @DLR_de and @DLR_en

The one and only Stephanie Schierholz with NASA HQ

 And my new friend from @HollandSpaceCen

And this is another new friend @nhaima from Rome. 

 Totally excited to see Erin Smith from NASA Ames

Here is Little SOFIA

One of SOFIA's pilots Manny Antimisiaris.  

There she is! Hello SOFIA - first time outside of California for us! SOFIA is a world-class airborne observatory that complements the Hubble, Spitzer, Herschel and the James Webb space telescope. It features a German-built 100 inch diameter far-infrared telescope in the rear fuselage of a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft. 

Please meet @cpamoa from Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

Is this really our first picture together, @herrea?

 Inside of SOFIA now. You can see the telescope back there. 

 I even got to pose with my buddy @rocketman528 again! 

And another new friend Carlo @cazurro. He is from Granada in Spain. 

Now I am inside the huge Airbus A380. 

 More new friends! @wicho and @digitalmeteo with Polloparty! I think they are all from Spain. 

Don't get too close to those engines! 

Ok, we are heading back to the Tweetup Tent. I am leading the way... I hope there are no lightning strikes happening right now! 

This is Peter from the Netherlands @pclissold

Time for some presentations. First up SOFIA's Aloise Himmes, the Principal Investigator for the DLR part of the SOFIA mission. 

I see familiar faces... @rocketman528, @craftlass, @herrea 

US Astronaut Cady Coleman and ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli

Cady and I always make faces together. It's our thing! 

 I met Paolo for the first time in Baltimore in August. Good guy!

The @researcheurope representative 

 Virginie from France and Olivia. 

This is Olivia with the Austrian Space Forum. So toll! 

Maria and Olivia - they gave me the Oesterreichisches Weltraum Forum pin. Thank you! 

My Spanish friends with Little SDO solar viewing glasses. @cazurro, @wichoy 

@digitalmeteo and @polloparty

Oh, finally! My good friend Katrin from Germany! 

Time for some group pictures. Can you spot me?

Right here - they are all pointing at me! 

And here is the large and official version of "Where is Camilla?"

Look at this group plus the STS-134 crew! 

Spanky (Astronaut Fincke) meeting my friend Eico. 

Craftlass, Jen, Chris and Cady

STS-134 Mission Specialist "Spanky" Michael Finke

STS-134 Pilot Gregory Johnson and Andreea from Belgium. 

STS-134 Mission Specialist 4 Gregory Chamitoff and Rin from Germany

STS-134 Mission Specialist Andrew J. Feustel

Hello Remco - nice to finally meet you! 

The truly admirable Beth Beck (sitting), Astro_Cady, Jeff and @researcheurope

ESA Astronaut & Head of the Astronaut Division at ESA, Michel Tognini (Mir-1 and STS-93 deploy emend of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory)

Hello Brigitte from France! 

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforet  - she is an Italian Air Force Officer. 

A photograph of Earth 

The truly wonderful people at ESA & ESAoperations; Erica and Daniel

ESA Astronaut (also Italian) Luca Parmitano - training for ISS Exp 36. 

Kate and Astro_Luca inside the Columbia module. 

More great people! Katharina from Germany and @ESA_Italia

Me floating in the Cupola - brought to the ISS by the awesome STS-130 crew! Go Flyboy!