One year of basic training will soon bear fruit for ESA’s astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Pablo...
One year of basic training will soon bear fruit for ESA's astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Pablo Ãlvarez Fernández, Rosemary Coogan, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber and Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg.
On 22 April 2024, these astronaut candidates will receive their certification at ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, officially becoming fully fledged astronauts eligible for spaceflight.
Their journey began in April 2023 upon arrival at the European Astronaut Centre, commencing a year-long astronaut basic training at Europe's hub for astronaut formation.
Chosen from a pool of 22,500 applicants from ESA Member States, the ESA astronaut class of 2022 comprises 17 members, including five astronaut candidates and 12 members of an astronaut reserve.
Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg joined the group through a cooperation agreement with ESA. The soon-to-be first Australian astronaut in history, followed all the courses of the basic training together with her European classmates.
"As the chapter of basic training successfully concluded and we eagerly anticipate the next, we're reminded that our journey through the stars is not just about reaching new heights, but about the connections we forge along the way. It's the stories of perseverance, camaraderie, and shared dreams that define us, shaping the tapestry of our shared human experience in space," says head of ESA's European Astronaut Centre Frank De Winne.
Basic astronaut training serves as a foundational step, providing candidates with a well-rounded understanding and proficiency across various disciplines, essential for their future roles and responsibilities in space.
"From the first day of astronaut training to the upcoming certification, each experience was as insightful as meaningful. From survival training that teaches us to stay calm and focused in the face of emergencies, to understanding how our bodies respond to space and how to mitigate those effects. It's about being prepared for anything," says Marco.
The astronauts will, upon certification, proceed to the next phases of pre-assignment and mission-specific training, which builds on previous knowledge and will be tailored to their future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.
"As they prepare to take their next steps, it's amazing to see how well they carry with them the lessons learned from the current class of astronauts, the new friendships forged, but also their own dreams and ideas, contributing to the overall spirit and capabilities of the European Astronaut Corps. It is this collective force that enables Europe's amazing journey into the cosmos, to explore the unknown and to inspire a future generation of explorers," concludes ESA astronaut and head of astronaut operations at the European Astronaut Centre Alexander Gerst.