New European astronauts unveiled

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 21 May 2009 06:01

Science - Space

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the latest recruits to the European Astronaut Corps. Just six of the 8413 applicants were selected.

A Europe-wide selection process has identified the first new recruits to the European Astronaut Corps since 1992.

They are Samantha Cristoforetti (Italian), Alexander Gerst (German), Andreas Mogensen (Danish), Luca Parmitano (Italian), Timothy Peake (British), and Thomas Pesquet (French).

The presence of two Italians appears to be a result of a decision to form a single European Astronaut Corps covering ESA programs and activities jointly planned by the Italian Space Agency and NASA.

"Last year, with the launch of the Columbus laboratory and the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle, ESA became a fully-fledged member of the International Space Station partnership," said ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain.

"This new phase required the recruitment of young talent able to draw on the experience gained by the existing astronauts, able to become, step by step, the representatives of Europe in space who, together with their international colleagues, will live, work, explore and bring back to planet Earth and its citizens their unique experience, their accomplishments and their confidence in the future. They all represent the generation that will move from low earth orbit to the Moon," he added.

The new astronauts will start their basic training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.

Please read on for more about the latest astronauts to be selected, and details of the imminent launch of the next European astronaut.