The European Space Agency missions planned this year include the launch of the Rosetta spacecraft to the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko in February, the mission of ESA astronaut Andre Kuipers to the International Space Station in April, the Ariane 5 ECA qualification launch in June and ESA’s first Earth Explorer mission Cryosat, planned for the fall, ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain announced Thursday. In February, decisions will be made regarding three new launch programs: European Guaranteed Access to Space, Soyuz launches from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou and the future launcher preparatory program.