The European Space Agency has chosen 17 new astronaut candidates from more than 22 500 applicants from across its Member States.
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ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher introduced the members of the 2022 ESA astronaut class, the first new recruits in 13 years, on November 23 at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris, France, shortly after the ESA Council at Ministerial level ended.
The ESA astronaut class 2022 includes five career astronauts, 11 reserve astronauts as well as one astronaut with a physical disability.
The agency chose:
• France's career astronaut Sophie Adenot and member of the astronaut reserve Arnaud Prost
• Spain's career astronaut Pablo Alvarez Fernandez and member of the astronaut reserve Sara García Alonso
• Germany's members of the astronaut reserve Amelie Schoenenwald and Nicola Winter
• Switzerland's career astronaut Marco Sieber
• Britain's member of the astronaut reserve Meganne Christian, career astronaut Rosemary Coogan and Parastronaut Feasibility Study member John McFall
• Italy's members of the astronaut reserve Anthea Comellini and Andrea Patassa
• Belgium's career astronaut Raphael Liegeois
• Czech Republic's member of the astronaut reserve Aleš Svoboda
• Poland's member of the astronaut reserve Sławosz Uznański
• Sweden's member of the astronaut reserve Marcus Wandt
• Switzerland's career astronaut Marco Sieber
• Austria's member of the astronaut reserve Carmen Possnig
ESA’s new astronaut candidates will take up duty at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. They will be trained to the highest level of standards as specified by the International Space Station partners.
After completion of the 12-month basic training, the new astronauts will be ready to enter the next Space Station training phase and, once assigned to a mission, their training will be tailored to specific mission tasks.
For the first time, ESA has established a reserve pool of astronauts. This reserve list is composed of astronaut candidates who were successful throughout the entire selection process but cannot be recruited at this point in time.
Astronauts in the reserve remain with their current employers and will receive a consultancy contract and basic support. They will start basic training in case a flight opportunity has been identified.
ESA also selected one astronaut candidate with a physical disability. He will take part in the Parastronaut Feasibility Project to develop options for the inclusion of astronauts with physical disabilities in human spaceflight and possible future missions. ■
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