#change chocolate

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How did we manage to get Change Chocolate to the ISS?

Into-the-chocosphere has become quite an incredible and unbelievable story. Space fans from all over the world ask themselves how we managed to get the bars into ATV-4.  

Let's start from the very beginning. In 2007 a nine year old boy, Felix, had to give a school presentation about the climate crisis. He had the idea that children could plant millions of trees. 6 years later thousands of children all over the world are fighting for their future and planted more than 12 billion trees. 

“The Change Chocolate” in Germany: carbon neutral and fair trade certified, has become one of the most sold fairtrade chocolates without any marketing budget - and a great instrument to reach more people. 

We, the Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation, support the Children. However the Foundation has got very limited financial resources, efficiency is one of our highest goals. Always searching for the biggest lever to spread the cause of the children many incredible stories happened the last years.

Therefore having the idea to send chocolate to the ISS, where scientists do important experiments and take great pictures from mother earth is not that unusual. However, that it worked out has been quite a surprise for us, too. Everything had to go very fast. We even packed the chocolate into a used box.  

  It did work out because people liked the idea and the story behind Plant-for-the-Planet. Into-the-chocosphere has only been possible because a few people were willing to do more than they had to and in the end our chocolate was loaded into ATV-4. Thank you very much!

So far so good. Nobody knows what happens next. Luca and his team unload ATV-4 on Tuesday. Let's hope they find - and like - the Change Chocolate. 

With your support at twitter #chocosphere we reach Luca and his team perhaps. So they finally also get to know the story why there is actually Change Chocolate at the ISS.

A short introduction video about Plant-for-the-Planet 

(Photo: ESA Ground Crew in Kourou)

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Change Chocolate reached International Space Station 

It started as an idea during lunchtime a few weeks ago. But the idea has become reality. Since 15 June 14:07 (GMT) ATV-4 "Albert Einstein" is connected to ISS. Inside the ATV 12 bars of the Change Chocolate wait as a sweet surprise for the Crew. 

Besides 12 bars of our excellent chocolate it carries more than 1400 other items packed into 141 bags, including 2480 kg of dry cargo such as scientific equipment, spare parts, food and clothes for the astronauts. Unloading starts on Tuesday. During its four months attached to the Station, ATV will provide 45 cubic metres of extra crew quarters.

We congratulate to each and everyone involved in ATV4 Mission.  

(Photo Credit: NASA)

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A few hours before arrival our Chocolate is not only in the ATV-4 but also in the Twitter Account of ESA Operations

The ATV-4, carrying our Change Chocolate as a sweet surprise is expected to dock with the International Space Station at 15:46 CEST. The docking will be webcast via http://www.esa.int on Saturday, 15 June, 14:50-16:00 CEST. 

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Change Chocolate for Heroes 

For people who take such pictures “alone” in orbit, 400 km away from home, receiving a delivery of chocolate must come as a surprise. “I thought it was a nice idea" says  Kirsten MacDonell, ATV cargo manager in ESA's Blogpost. Change Chocolate for a global change.

“Before I flew I was already aware of how small and vulnerable our planet is; but only when I saw it from space, in all its ineffable beauty and fragility, did I realize that human kind’s most urgent task is to cherish and preserve it for future generations.” Sigmund Jähn 

The children of Plant-for-the-Planet act as, and understand themselves to be, a global family fighting for their future. We believe that the photographs that the crew of the ISS sends us from space help to change our attitude towards our planet. 

No ATV in sight yet, however ATV-4 “Albert Einstein” is expected to arrive at the ISS tomorrow, Saturday, 15 June. On Monday, Luca and his crew will start getting ready to unload the cargo - and hopefully discover our sweet surprise Read more about the docking

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(Photo Credits: NASA, ESA/NASA and Twitter @Astro_Luca)