European Space Agency Welcomes 5 New Astronauts from Record 20,000 Applicants in Historic Fourth Class Since 1978
The European Space Agency (ESA) has introduced five new astronauts from an unprecedented pool of 20,000 applicants. This historic fourth class since 1978 highlights the growing interest and competition in space exploration careers across Europe.
Here's a summary of the recent graduation ceremony for astronauts in Cologne, Germany:
Five men and women, along with an Australian, completed rigorous training to become astronauts.
The European Space Agency (ESA) held a ceremony in Cologne to officially add these individuals to its astronaut corps, bringing the total number of astronauts eligible for International Space Station missions to 11.
ESA has negotiated with NASA for three spots on future Artemis moon missions, though these may be allocated to more senior astronauts.
This marks only the fourth astronaut class for ESA since 1978, chosen from a pool of 22,500 applicants.
The group includes individuals with diverse backgrounds, ranging from advanced scientific and medical degrees to military training and various recreational activities.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher emphasized the teamwork and camaraderie among the new astronauts, highlighting their collective spirit.
Sophie Adenot, a French air force helicopter test pilot, expressed her excitement about the prospect of space travel, reflecting on her childhood dreams and overcoming naysayers.
The graduates underwent intense training, including simulations of spacewalks and exposure to various scientific disciplines.
Despite facing skepticism, the new astronauts remain determined to pursue their dreams of space exploration.
The graduation ceremony symbolizes a significant achievement for these individuals as they prepare for future missions in space.
Here's a summary of the additional members of the ESA astronaut class and their training:
Pablo Alvarez Fernandez: A Spanish aeronautical engineer involved in the development of the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, which was part of a joint mission with Russia. This mission was suspended following the invasion of Ukraine.
Rosemary Coogan: A British astronomer specializing in the study of radiation emissions from black holes.
Raphael Liegeois: A Belgian biomedical engineer and neuroscientist focused on research related to degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Liegeois also has experience flying hot-air balloons and gliders.
Marco Alain Sieber: A Swiss emergency physician who attained the rank of sergeant as a paratrooper during his service with the Swiss army.
Katherine Bennell-Pegg: An Australian who underwent training under a cooperation agreement between Australia and ESA. She remains an employee of the Australian Space Agency, and it's up to the agency to facilitate her travel to space.
During their year-long basic training, the astronauts underwent rigorous preparation for the challenges of space exploration. This included exposure to high gravitational forces in a centrifuge and underwater simulations to simulate zero gravity conditions. They also learned to recognize symptoms of hypoxia and underwent survival training for potential splashdown scenarios. Additionally, they received academic instruction on scientific topics and familiarized themselves with the equipment and modules of the International Space Station. Despite ESA's suspension of work with Russia, intensive Russian language training remains part of the program due to its importance for operations aboard the space station.
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