2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group

Last updated

ESA astronaut announcement Class of 2022 (52519917105).jpg
Year selected2022
Number selected5 Career, 12 Reserve/Project
←  2009

The 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group is the latest class of the European Astronaut Corps. The selection recruited five "career" astronauts as well as 12 "reserve/project" astronauts (including one "astronaut with a physical disability"). [1] They are the fourth European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut class to be recruited. [2]

Contents

The group joined the continuing corps of ESA astronauts, those selected in 2009, to perform both long and short-duration spaceflight missions aboard the International Space Station, and as part of the Artemis program. [3] [4]

Group members

Along with the five selected "career astronauts", the campaign recruited a "reserve" pool of astronauts who "...will not be permanent ESA staff, but could have the opportunity to be selected for specific projects, as project astronauts." [2] The campaign also recruited a person with a physical disability through the "parastronaut feasibility project". [5] [6] [4] The announcement of the selected candidates took place in Paris on 23 November 2022 at the Grand Palais Éphémère, at the conclusion of the triennial ESA Ministerial Council meeting. [7]

Reserves

Chronology

Flights of class members
AstronautDateMissionDuration
Marcus Wandt Flag of Sweden.svg2024 Ax-3 21 days
Sławosz Uznański Flag of Poland.svgearly 2025 Ax-4 14 days (planned)
Sophie Adenot Flag of France.svgearly 2026TBD6 months (planned)
Raphaël Liégeois Flag of Belgium (civil).svglate 2026TBD6 Months (planned)

2023

Basic training for some of the group began throughout 2023 at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) facilities in Cologne, with a duration of approximately a year. The five selected "career" astronauts began in April, [27] joined by three members of the reserve who had received "project" astronaut assignments: McFall and Wandt in June, [28] [29] and Uznański in September. [30]

In August 2023 the Polish government signed an agreement with ESA and Axiom have a Polish citizen aboard a future Axiom flight. Although the agreement did no specify who would fly or when that mission would take place, [31] the Polish minister for Economic Development and Technology stated the intent was "to submit the candidature" of Uznański for a flight in 2024. [32]

2024

After being initially announced as a reserve Marcus Wandt became the first of the class to be assigned to a spaceflight, as "mission specialist" aboard Axiom-3, to the International Space Station. [33] It became be "the first commercial mission for an ESA-sponsored astronaut" [34] with the Swedish National Space Agency responsible to "negotiate directly with Axiom for the flight" following ESA director general signing of letter of intent in April 2023 for such a mission. [35] [36] His training was performed in reverse-order to the norm, with the mission-specific content first then followed by basic training at EAC second. [37] Wandt's mission name will be "Muninn" and will partially coincide with Danish ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen's mission "Huginn". [38] [39] The Axiom-3 mission took place from 18 January to 9 February with Wandt serving as a mission specialist.

The career astronauts (along with Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg) graduated from Basic Training at the European Astronaut Centre on the 22nd of April 2024 under the class name "The Hoppers". [40] One month later, in the context of a meeting of the EU/ESA "Space Council" meeting held in Brussels, Adenot then Liégeois were announced as receiving the first two long duration mission assignments – both scheduled in that order for 2026. [41]

In August, it was confirmed that Uznański was assigned on Axiom-4, scheduled for 2025 and immediately began his mission training. [42] [43] In September was announced that all the reserves (other than Wandt and Uznański) would receive "selected modules of ESA’s one-year basic training programme", to be conducted in three blocks of two-month duration over the next two years – with the first beginning the following month. [44]

Recruitment

ESA press conferences
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Recruitment campaign launch – English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish. 16 February 2021

The recruitment campaign was announced at press conferences in February 2021. [45] Applications for the roles of "astronaut" and "astronaut (with a physical disability)" in the ESA Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programmes were accepted between 31 March and 18 June of that year [46] [47] and over 22 thousand applications were received. [48] The original deadline of May 28 was extended by three weeks due to Lithuania joining ESA as an associate-member of ESA, and its citizens therefore becoming eligible to apply, only a week before the original deadline. [49]

Criteria

Recruits could be a citizen of any ESA member or associate-member state. [note 1] Women were particularly encouraged to apply — in order to address the gender gap among astronauts [50] — as under 16% of applicants in the previous recruitment campaign were women. [5] [51]

The minimum formal criteria included: being a citizen of an ESA member (or associate member) state under the age of 50; being between 150 and 190 cm tall (with possible exception under the astronaut with a disability category); a "normal weight" BMI range; fluency in English and another language; a master's degree in the Natural Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics/Computer Sciences (plus three years of professional experience), or accreditation as an experimental test pilot; a "hearing capacity of 25 dB or better per ear"; and a current class 2 pilot's medical certificate. [52] [2] Upon selection, recruits would then receive training in "...the essentials of being an astronaut, survival skills and the Russian language, before moving on to robotics, navigation, maintenance and spacewalks", and then receiving mission-specific training. [53]

The types of disability considered for astronaut with a disability program were lower limb deficiency (e.g. due to amputation or congenital limb deficiency), leg length difference, or short stature. [54]

Applicants

Applications from 22,523 candidates were received. They came from all eligible nationalities (including Lithuania), as well as 257 for the astronaut with a disability program. [48] This represented a 2.8x increase in the number of applications received compared to the previous ESA astronaut selection process. [55] Almost five and a half thousand applicants (24%) were women – up from 1287 (15.3%) female applicants in the previous selection process. [55] Estonia had the highest proportion of female applicants (38.6%), while Switzerland had the lowest (17.8%). [48]

With over seven thousand applications the largest number of applicants were French citizens, almost twice as many as the next most common applicant citizenship, Germans. It was speculated that the popularity of the call for applicants among French citizens was due to Thomas Pesquet's "Alpha" mission to the ISS beginning while the application period was open. [56] More than a thousand applications were also received from British, Spanish, Italian and Belgian citizens, while less than 100 applications were received from Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Luxembourgers, and Slovenians. [57] ESA stressed that the eventual selection is "irrespective" of national funding of the organisation. [58]

Applicants by citizenship – total [note 2] (%♀) [48]
Austria Flag of Austria.svg Belgium Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Czech Republic Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Denmark Flag of Denmark.svg Estonia Flag of Estonia.svg
466 (24.9%)1,007 (22.8%)204 (18.1%)145 (24.1%)57 (38.6%)
Finland Flag of Finland.svg France Flag of France.svg Germany Flag of Germany.svg Greece Flag of Greece.svg Hungary Flag of Hungary.svg
308 (18.8%)7,087 (23.2%)3,695 (28%)281 (21.4%)149 (22.8%)
Ireland Flag of Ireland.svg Italy Flag of Italy.svg Latvia Flag of Latvia.svg Lithuania Flag of Lithuania.svg Luxembourg Flag of Luxembourg.svg
276 (28.3%)1,845 (18.8%)83 (27.7%)80 (23.8%)64 (18.8%)
The Netherlands Flag of the Netherlands.svg Norway Flag of Norway.svg Poland Flag of Poland.svg Portugal Flag of Portugal.svg Romania Flag of Romania.svg
982 (30.1%)391 (17.9%)549 (23.3%)320 (19.1%)254 (21.7%)
Slovenia Flag of Slovenia.svg Spain Flag of Spain.svg Sweden Flag of Sweden.svg Switzerland Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
62 (21%)1,341 (22.2%)281 (18.1%)668 (17.8%)2,000 (28.5%)

Selection process

Announcement of ESA's new class of astronauts [59]

The selection process itself proceeds over six stages: [60]

  1. Screening of applicants was undertaken "on the basis of documents submitted, the application form and the screening questionnaire." It was initially expected that approximately 1500 (7%) applicants would be accepted through to stage 2. [56] By the conclusion of the 1st stage in January 2022, 1361 astronaut candidates and 27 disabled candidates were invited to the 2nd stage – including at least one man and one woman from every eligible nationality. [48] [61]
  2. Initial tests consisted of "cognitive, technical, motor coordination and personality tests" administered by the German Aerospace Center in Hamburg.
  3. Assessment centre evaluation involved "additional psychometric tests, individual and group exercises and practical tests" administered at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne.
  4. Medical tests assessed "physical and psychological condition in view of long-duration astronaut missions" [62] administered in Cologne and the Toulouse Space Centre, France.
  5. Panel interview assesses "technical and behavioural competencies" including a background check.
  6. Final interview with the ESA Director General at the agency headquarters in Paris.
Selection process statistics
Recruitment

round [60]

Applicants

(of which disab.)

Completed %♀ % of previousRef.
Screening22,780 (257)June 202124%– [48]
Initial tests1,388 (27)March 202239%5.9% [48]
Assessment centre~400May~28.8% [62]
Medical testsJune~25% [62]
Panel interview
Final interviewOctober40%+ [63]
Selected23 November 2022 [7] [1]
Career540%
Reserve/Project12 (1)50%

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ At the time, ESA members nations were: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Associate-members were Slovenia, Latvia, and Lithuania. [2] [49]
  2. ↑ While many applicants hold multiple citizenships, for statistical purposes ESA categorises them according to their self-declared first citizenship.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Space Agency</span> European organization dedicated to space exploration

The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 22-member intergovernmental body devoted to space exploration. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, the ESA was founded in 1975. Its 2024 annual budget was €7.8 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Space Agency</span> Government agency

The Canadian Space Agency is the national space agency of Canada, established in 1990 by the Canadian Space Agency Act.

The European Astronaut Corps is a unit of the European Space Agency (ESA) that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members on U.S. and Russian space missions. The corps has 13 active members, able to serve on the International Space Station (ISS). The European Astronaut Corps is based at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. They can be assigned to various projects both in Europe or elsewhere in the world, at NASA Johnson Space Center or Star City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Peake</span> British Army Air Corps officer and astronaut (born 1972)

Major TimothyNigel Peake is a retired British European Space Agency astronaut, Army Air Corps officer and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samantha Cristoforetti</span> Italian astronaut (born 1977)

Samantha Cristoforetti is an Italian European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, former Italian Air Force pilot and engineer. She is the second of two women sent into space by ESA and the first from Italy. Cristoforetti holds the record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight by a European astronaut, and she held the record for the longest single space flight by a woman until this was broken by Peggy Whitson in June 2017, and later by Christina Koch. She took command of ISS Expedition 68 on 28 September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Pesquet</span> French aerospace engineer, pilot, and astronaut (born 1978)

Thomas Gautier Pesquet is a French aerospace engineer, pilot, European Space Agency astronaut, actor, musician, and writer. Pesquet was selected by ESA as a candidate in May 2009, and he successfully completed his basic training in November 2010. From November 2016 to June 2017, Pesquet was part of Expedition 50 and Expedition 51 as a flight engineer. Pesquet returned to space in April 2021 on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon for a second six-month stay on the ISS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andreas Mogensen</span> Danish engineer and astronaut (born 1976)

Andreas Enevold "Andy" Mogensen is a Danish engineer and ESA astronaut who is best known for being the first Dane to fly in space as part of the European Space Agency's Iriss program. Mogensen has also been involved in a number of other space-related projects throughout his career, including working as a test engineer for ESTEC and as a member of the European Astronaut Corps. In addition to his work with ESA, he has also worked with NASA and other international space agencies. Mogensen returned to space in August 2023 for his second spaceflight to the ISS onboard SpaceX Crew Dragon as the first non-American to serve as a pilot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Gerst</span> German astronaut and geophysicist (born 1976)

Alexander Gerst is a German European Space Agency astronaut and geophysicist, who was selected in 2009 to take part in space training. He was part of the International Space Station Expedition 40 and 41 from May to November 2014. Gerst returned to space on 6 June 2018, as part of Expedition 56/57. He was the Commander of the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on 20 December 2018. After the end of his second mission and before being surpassed by Luca Parmitano in 2020, he held the record for most time in space of any active ESA astronaut, succeeding Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, and German ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, who formally held the record for the longest time in space for any active or retired ESA astronaut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleš Svoboda (astronaut)</span>

Aleš Svoboda is a Czech fighter pilot and astronaut. He holds the rank of major in the Czech Army and serves at the 21st base of the tactical air force in Čáslav. In November 2022, he succeeded in the selection procedure of the European Space Agency and became a member of the reserve team of astronauts, thus he is the first astronaut of the independent Czech Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polish Space Agency</span> Polish state space agency

The Polish Space Agency is the space agency of Poland, administered by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. It is a member of the European Space Agency. The agency is focused on developing satellite networks and space technologies in Poland. It was established on 26 September 2014, and its headquarters are located in Gdańsk, Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthias Maurer</span> German astronaut (born 1970)

Matthias Josef Maurer is a German ESA astronaut and Materials scientist, who was selected in 2015 to take part in space training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josef Aschbacher</span> Austrian space administrator

Josef Aschbacher is Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), a position he has held since 1 March 2021. His international career in space combines more than 35 years' of experience at ESA, the European Commission, the Austrian Space Agency, the Asian Institute of Technology and the University of Innsbruck.

Die Astronautin is a private German human spaceflight program with the goal of sending the first German woman into space by 2023 via a short-duration flight to the International Space Station. The program was launched by a German private initiative in March 2016, when it sent out a call for German women to apply for a mission to the ISS. The flight will be mainly funded by donors and voluntary financial aid and so far has not received any funding from the German government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Crew-4</span> 2022 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS and maiden flight of Crew Dragon Freedom

SpaceX Crew-4 was the Crew Dragon's fourth NASA Commercial Crew operational flight, and its seventh overall crewed orbital flight. The mission launched on 27 April 2022 at 07:52 UTC before docking with the International Space Station (ISS) at 23:37 UTC. It followed shortly after the private Axiom 1 mission to the ISS earlier in the month utilizing SpaceX hardware. Three American (NASA) astronauts and one European (ESA) astronaut were on board the mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axiom Mission 3</span> 2024 private crewed spaceflight to the ISS

Axiom Mission 3 was a private spaceflight to the International Space Station. The flight launched on 18 January 2024, and lasted for 21 days, successfully splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. It was operated by Axiom Space and used a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The booster, B1080, had previously flown Axiom-2, among other high-profile missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Adenot</span> French engineer, helicopter pilot, and astronaut

Sophie Adenot is a French engineer, helicopter pilot, and astronaut. A French Air and Space Force helicopter pilot with the rank of lieutenant colonel, Adenot became France's first female helicopter test pilot in 2018. In 2022, she was chosen as a member of the European Astronaut Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Possnig</span> Austrian physician and reserve astronaut

Carmen Possnig is an Austrian physician and European Space Agency reserve astronaut. After graduating from the Medical University of Graz in 2014, Possnig was a general practitioner resident in Vienna for a few years before working as a research medical doctor at Concordia Station in Antarctica for more than a year starting in 2017. Since 2020, she has been a doctoral student in space physiology at the University of Innsbruck. She was chosen as a reserve in the European Astronaut Corps in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Wandt</span> Swedish ESA astronaut (born 1980)

Marcus Wandt is a Swedish test pilot and member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group. In January 2024, he became the third Swedish astronaut to visit space, after Christer Fuglesang and Jessica Meir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KP Labs</span> Polish space company

KP Labs is a Polish Private Space company based in Gliwice that specializes in data processing that was founded in 2016 by students of the Silesian University of Technology who wished to continue to peruse satellite development after graduation. KP Labs is subsidized by the Polish and European governments as part of the Silesian Aviation Cluster program which seeks to turn Silesia into an Aerospace hub. In 2024 KP Labs received the ESA's Innovation Award.

References

  1. 1 2 "ESA presents new generation of ESA astronauts". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Astronaut selection 2021-22 FAQs". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Hunt on to find British astronaut to go to the moon - here's what you need to qualify". Sky News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Europe launches recruitment drive for female and disabled astronauts". the Guardian. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  5. 1 2 "European Space Agency: Astronaut recruitment seeks disability applicants". BBC News. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "European Space Agency in bid to recruit female and disabled astronauts". euronews. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Media Invitation: Announcement of ESA Astronaut Class of 2022". www.esa.int. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  8. ↑ helicopter test pilot "Sophie Adenot". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Pablo Álvarez Fernández". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Rosemary Coogan". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Raphaël Liégeois". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  12. ↑ "Marco Alain Sieber". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "Marcus Wandt". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "John McFall". European Space Agency . 23 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "Sławosz Uznański". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  17. ↑ "This Polish astronaut will join India's Shubhanshu Shukla on trip to space". India Today. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  18. ↑ "Meganne Christian". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  19. ↑ "Anthea Comellini". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  20. ↑ "Sara García Alonso". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "Andrea Patassa". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  22. ↑ "Carmen Possnig". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  23. ↑ "Arnaud Prost". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  24. ↑ "Amelie Schoenenwald". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  25. ↑ "Aleš Svoboda". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  26. ↑ "Nicola Winter". www.esa.int. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  27. ↑ "ESA's astronaut candidates start training". www.esa.int. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  28. ↑ "John McFall: World's first disabled astronaut begins training". BBC Newsround. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  29. ↑ "ESA proposes Marcus Wandt from Sweden to fly on a future Axiom space mission". www.esa.int. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  30. ↑ "Sławosz Uznański from Poland to train as a project astronaut at the European Astronaut Centre". www.esa.int. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Foust, Jeff (18 August 2023). "Poland signs agreement to fly astronaut on Axiom Space ISS mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  32. ↑ "Polish astronaut to become second ever Pole to go into space". www.thefirstnews.com. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  33. ↑ "Marcus Wandt will fly to International Space Station on third Axiom Space mission". www.esa.int. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  34. ↑ "NASA, Partners Clear Axiom Space's Third Private Astronaut Crew – NASA" . Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  35. ↑ "Sweden intends to send ESA astronaut to the International Space Station". www.esa.int. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  36. ↑ "Axiom Space, ESA Sign Agreement with Swedish National Space Agency on Future Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  37. ↑ Foust, Jeff (18 October 2023). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  38. ↑ Elizabeth Howell (13 September 2023). "Axiom Space names Ax-3 astronaut crew for SpaceX mission to ISS". Space.com. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  39. ↑ Robert Lea (20 June 2023). "Swedish astronaut 'fast-tracked' to join crew of upcoming private Axiom Space mission". Space.com. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  40. ↑ "European astronaut rookies make the grade". BBC News. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  41. ↑ "ESA astronauts Sophie Adenot and Raphaël Liégeois assigned for Space Station missions". www.esa.int. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  42. ↑ "Sławosz Uznański from Poland will fly to International Space Station on fourth Axiom Space mission". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  43. ↑ Elizabeth Howell (12 August 2024). "Axiom Space's next astronaut mission to the ISS with SpaceX delayed to spring 2025". Space.com. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  44. ↑ "ESA Astronaut Reserve starts training in October". www.esa.int. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  45. ↑ "Watch live: ESA outlines its search for astronauts". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  46. ↑ "Astronaut Job Req ID: 12355". jobs.esa.int. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  47. ↑ "Astronaut (with a physical disability) Job Req ID: 12354". jobs.esa.int. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Final figures show astronaut applicants from all ESA Member States". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  49. 1 2 "ESA extends deadline for astronaut applications as new Associate Member joins". www.esa.int. 21 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  50. ↑ "Women and people with disabilities 'often better adapted to spaceflight than men'". www.abc.net.au. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  51. ↑ "Applicants from all ESA Member States to become European astronauts". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  52. ↑ "Astronaut Application Handbook" (PDF). European Space Agency. 31 March 2021. p. 19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  53. ↑ O’Leary, Naomi. "European Space Agency launches search for new astronauts". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  54. ↑ "Parastronaut feasibility project". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  55. 1 2 "Wide range of applications for ESA's astronaut selection". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  56. 1 2 "Big numbers apply to be European astronauts". BBC News. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  57. ↑ "ESA Astronaut Selection 2021: Preliminary Numbers" (PDF). European Space Agency . 23 June 2021. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  58. ↑ "European Space Agency: Astronaut recruitment drive for greater diversity". BBC News. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  59. ↑ "Announcement of ESA's new class of astronauts". Also broadcast live on YouTube . European Space Agency. 23 November 2022.
  60. 1 2 "Astronaut Application Handbook" (PDF). European Space Agency. 31 March 2021. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  61. ↑ "Astronaut selection: stage one complete". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  62. 1 2 3 "ESA astronaut selection in the final stages". www.esa.int. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  63. ↑ Aschbacher, Josef (18 October 2022). "Samantha Cristoforetti's first news conference after returning to Earth". European Space Agency . min:42-46.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.